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OUT ON A LIMB

Jamie Vardy returns to factory where he made prosthetic limbs before becoming England hero with wife Rebekah

Rags-to-riches star pulled 12-hour shifts at the factory while playing for £30-a-week in non-League

JAMIE VARDY returned to the factory where worked 12-hour shifts as a teenager - making prosthetic limbs.

The Leicester and England striker has enjoyed one of the most remarkable rags-to-riches rises in British football in recent years.

 Jamie Vardy returned to the prosthetic limb factory he worked in as a teenager
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Jamie Vardy returned to the prosthetic limb factory he worked in as a teenagerCredit: Flynet Pictures
 Vardy worked at Trulife carbon fibre plant in Sheffield when he was still playing non-League football
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Vardy worked at Trulife carbon fibre plant in Sheffield when he was still playing non-League footballCredit: Flynet Pictures
 Vardy returned while filming for his new TV programme 'The Next Jamie Vardy'
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Vardy returned while filming for his new TV programme 'The Next Jamie Vardy'Credit: Flynet Pictures

And the 30-year-old was back to where it all started - before the Premier League winners medal, the England caps and the £120,000-a-week contract.

After being rejected as a teenager by hometown club Sheffield Wednesday at 16, Vardy eventually wound up at Trulife, a carbon fibre factory.

Vardy, along with wife Rebekah, toured the factory floor and even caught up with former colleagues Mick Brown and Danny Hirst.

Vardy is filming for his new series 'The Next Jamie Vardy', which starts on Saturday on Sky 1 at 11.30am.

When Vardy was working at the factory he was playing for non-League Stocksbridge Park Steels, earning just £30-a-week while playing in the eighth tier of English football.

An assault charge, for 'defending' a deaf mate, came around this time and Vardy had to play with an ankle tag for a few weeks.

 Vardy shares a joke with former colleagues on the factory floor
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Vardy shares a joke with former colleagues on the factory floorCredit: Flynet Pictures
 Vardy visited the factory with wife Rebekah
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Vardy visited the factory with wife RebekahCredit: Flynet Pictures
 Vardy laughs as he's shown a prosthetic limb
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Vardy laughs as he's shown a prosthetic limbCredit: Flynet Pictures
 The striker worked 12-hour shifts when he was at the factory
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The striker worked 12-hour shifts when he was at the factoryCredit: Flynet Pictures
 Jamie Vardy enjoyed a meteoric rise through the divisions
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Jamie Vardy enjoyed a meteoric rise through the divisionsCredit: Flynet Pictures
 The striker scored 66 goals in three seasons before moving on to Halifax Town
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The striker scored 66 goals in three seasons before moving on to Halifax TownCredit: Flynet Pictures
 Vardy attempts the dustbin challenge in the car park of the factory
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Vardy attempts the dustbin challenge in the car park of the factoryCredit: Flynet Pictures
 He signed autographs and stopped for pictures with children of some of the factory workers
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He signed autographs and stopped for pictures with children of some of the factory workersCredit: Flynet Pictures
 Vardy moved to Fleetwood Town after scoring 29 goals at Halifax
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Vardy moved to Fleetwood Town after scoring 29 goals at HalifaxCredit: Flynet Pictures

In some matches he could only play 60 minutes as he had to get home to ensure he didn't miss his 6pm curfew.

But his meteoric rise soon began.

After 66 goals in three seasons at the club, Halifax Town took a chance on the youngster and he duly responded with 29 goals.

Then ambitious non-League club Fleetwood Town paid out £150,000 and put Vardy on £850-a-week wages.

The striker again proved a brilliant bit of business, scoring 34 goals to fire the side into League Two.

Nigel Pearson then took the biggest gamble on Vardy, spending £1million - a record for a non-League player - to bring him to Leicester.

 He fired Fleetwood to League Two, scoring 34 goals in his lone season at the club
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He fired Fleetwood to League Two, scoring 34 goals in his lone season at the clubCredit: Flynet Pictures
 Becky Vardy is also part of the TV programme, which starts on September 16
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Becky Vardy is also part of the TV programme, which starts on September 16Credit: Flynet Pictures
 Husband and wife chat while being filmed for the new show
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Husband and wife chat while being filmed for the new showCredit: Flynet Pictures
 Vardy holds a mold for one of the prosthetic limbs
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Vardy holds a mold for one of the prosthetic limbsCredit: Flynet Pictures

And although Vardy took a season to adjust, scoring just four goals in his first campaign, he has since become one of English football's hottest commodities.

He scored 16 goals the next year to help lead the Foxes to the Premier League, and five crucial goals his first season in the top flight as Leicester avoided relegation.

It was the next season, of course, when Vardy grabbed international attention.

He scored a stunning 24 goals, including a record 11 in consecutive games, as Claudio Ranieri's men shocked the world to win the Premier League title.

 Vardy in his non-League days with Stocksbridge Park Steels
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Vardy in his non-League days with Stocksbridge Park SteelsCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
 Vardy, second from left, fired Leicester City to a shock Premier League title win with 24 goals
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Vardy, second from left, fired Leicester City to a shock Premier League title win with 24 goalsCredit: AFP or licensors

England caps also followed, as did goals against Germany the Netherlands and one in the disastrous Euro 2016 campaign.

Last season was much more difficult and likeable Italian Ranieri was eventually sacked.

But the Foxes improved under Craig Shakespeare, with Vardy scoring eight goals in the final three months of the season to keep the club up.

Vardy already has three goals this season - although Leicester have lost three of their four matches.

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