He had a BMW, his own home and had travelled the world by his 21st birthday.

He thought he had everything.

Today - despite losing his legs in an horrific car accident - Matthew, now 26 and in a wheelchair, believes he has.

It's called love.

"I have never been happier," he said. "Before the accident I thought I was happy, but now I am fulfilled.

He met Louise Latham at Knutsford Wine Bar and within 21 days had proposed.

"When you meet somebody it just clicks and the night I met Louise I knew I would marry her," he said.

Louise, an air stewardess, describes Matthew as her Prince Charming.

"He is genuine, honest and loving," she said. "If you are with him for more than five minutes you forget he is in a wheelchair and his personality takes over."

People do stare, but it's not something that Matthew, formerly of Mereheath Lane, Knutsford, or Louise worry about.

Matthew, a former corporate salesman, is still scarred from the crash which nearly killed him.

In it he suffered 60% burns - only his face and hands escaped the flames.

He spent more than two years in hospital and had 50 skin grafts.

He had planned to undergo pioneering surgery to replace his legs with prosthetic limbs but now fears it could be 'too risky.'

Yet despite his health problems, Matthew told the Knutsford Guardian this week: "Things couldn't be better.

"All this has made me a better person and given me direction in life.

"In a way I was selfish, but a lot of people are. Everyone lives in these cocooned lifestyles, but then something happens to change that."

Since leaving hospital he has dedicated his life to charity work and, with Cheshire businessman Brian Kennedy, hopes to create a rehabilitation unit for burns' survivors.

But it is the new love in his life who has brought Matthew the greatest happiness.

"My body is not the best thing to look at, but Louise has seen me for what I am and not the problems I have," he said.

Once they are married, the couple plan to live in Hallside Park.

Last week he bought his fiancee a Porche for her birthday from money he had invested wisely.

But money, he insists, is not everything.

"If I woke up tomorrow and I had no money I would still be happy," he said.

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