A boy’s arduous steps on prosthetic legs after Turkey’s earthquake

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Hasan Koc and his late wife's mother Emine Karalioglu, 63, react in the hallway of Mersin hospital while his son Mehmet, screams as nurses change the bandages on his amputated legs in Turkey open image in gallery Mehmet is comforted by his grandmother in Mersin hospital The 58-year-old encountered a scene of utter destruction in the city and learned his wife and elder son had not survived, but Mehmet was alive and trapped. open image in gallery Mehmet, uses physiotherapy bars at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital during a prosthetics fitting session open image in gallery Mehmet, sits on a treatment bed as he is seen by specialists at the hospital “Mehmet started school and is getting better. open image in gallery Hasan, prepares dinner for his son Mehmet, at his flat in London open image in gallery Family friend Ali Cinar, 63, helps Mehmet into a taxi to bring him and his father Hasan to a picnic at his garden allotment Mehmet is being treated at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, an hour’s drive across London from his home. open image in gallery Mehmet, uses his wheelchair ahead of using physiotherapy bars, as his translator looks on open image in gallery Mehmet, lies on a treatment bed at the hospital, as he waits to be seen Doctors estimate it requires 300 per cent more energy to walk across a flat surface with bilateral above-knee prosthetics than natural walking, and for children it is particularly hard.