A MAN badly injured in a glider crash at Wycombe Air Park has launched a High Court claim for compensation.

Daniel Marshall, 31, from Kingston, Surrey, needed surgery for two fractured legs after the crash on August 6 2004, which he claimed in a writ was caused when his camera strap entangled itself in the glider controls.

The writ issued at London's High Court, which was made public on Monday, has revealed Mr Marshall is suing the Booker Gliding Club for £300,000.

He has said the club should have prevented him from taking his camera on board the glider.

The writ said Mr Marshall had a trial gliding lesson bought for him by his mother, which he took with an instructor at the air park in Clay Lane, Booker.

Mr Marshall said he put his camera on the floor between his legs, but shortly after they were airborne the instructor lost control and the glider crashed nose first. The instructor suffered serious chest and back injuries in the crash.

Mr Marshall was airlifted to Wexham Park Hospital and treated that day. The writ said he required two further operations on both of his ankles, and that he is now disadvantaged in employment because of continuing problems with his legs.

It also said the instructor lost control of the glider when the camera became stuck in the aperture for the front seat control column during take off.

In the writ Mr Marshall accuses the club of negligence for failing to ensure the camera was secure and failing to tell him loose objects could interfere with glider controls. The club is also accused of negligently allowing Mr Marshall to take a trial lesson when he had the camera, and exposing him to an unnecessary risk of injury.

Booker Gliding Club said it was unable to comment on the matter as it was under judicial deliberation.