A former team-mate of Freddie Flintoff has said he "needed his own time" before going public with his injuries.

Flintoff, 45, was involved in a horrifying 130mph crash in a three-wheeled open-top car while filming a Top Gear segment in December of last year. He suffered broken ribs and severe facial injuries as a result, the long-lasting effects of which have been seen in recent weeks.

The England cricket legend appeared for the first time this year as he lent a helping hand to the current crop for their ODI series' against New Zealand and Ireland. Steve Harmison, who's close friends with Flintoff having roomed with him for well over a decade of their careers, has offered an insight into his struggles over the last few months.

READ MORE: Freddie Flintoff has emotional moment with England cricket star after Top Gear crash

READ MORE: Top Gear's Freddie Flintoff had 'alarm bells' before 130mph open top car crash

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Harmison told Online Cricket Betting: "I'm not going to hide it, when I saw some of the pictures, I was upset. I saw him during his rehab and his son and my son played cricket together and Andrew was just starting to come out of the house and back into the world.

“For me, that was the hardest part – everybody said it would be great to see him in cricket again, but he didn't want to come out in public. The minute he did, we knew that he really wanted to.

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"It was about his own confidence, and it was great to see him back with a smile on his face. Andrew needed his own time, he's taken it, and now he's back. It's brilliant to see. Some of the injuries he had were pretty horrific.”

Scars to Flintoff's nose and chin have visibly healed since he first appeared in public again. A plastic surgeon specialising in the sort of injuries he sustained told Daily Star Sport permanent damage is possible, however.

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