'It is heartbreaking': Woman taking on 60km challenge to support Shropshire teenager seriously injured in accident
A woman is taking on a 60km ultra-run challenge to raise money for a county 15-year-old seriously injured in a tragic accident.
Last month Morgan Clewes, 15 and from Ellesmere, suffered an unstable fracture to his neck and significant damage to his spinal cord in a shocking accident.
The young Ellesmere Rangers footballer and Manchester United fan was airlifted to Alder Hey Children's Hospital where he has since been undergoing treatment.
In the wake of Morgan's shocking injury, his friends, and friends of his family have been working to provide support and fundraising to help during his recovery.
Paula Reynolds from Ellesmere is one of those looking to help.
Paula's own son Ryan is a close schoolfriend of Morgan's, inspiring her to take on her own fundraising challenge.
To do so the 49-year-old Ellesmere resident will be running the gruelling 60km Trail Ultra, known as the Coast to Coast Winter Ultra, next month.
The race takes place on North Wales's Llŷn Peninsula on November 8 and Paula is hoping to raise £1,000 to support the Clewes family during Morgan's recovery.
The experienced runner is off to a good start, with more than £630 having been pledged to a JustGiving page - but she wants to raise as much as possible.
She said it had been heartbreaking to see her son's best friend suffering such a serious and shocking injury.
She said Morgan is "a lovely, very likeable lad", and that the tragedy had shaken his friends and those who know him.
Paula is no stranger to running major distances, but November's event comes after an injury and a two-month lay-off.
Regardless, she said the situation faced by Morgan and his family will keep her going as she makes her way across the 60km distance.
She said: "It is such a heartbreaking situation and I just want to raise money for the family to support Morgan in whatever he needs and whatever he needs moving forwards."
She added: "I am coming back from injury so I have had two months off, so I am not prepared but I have done it before and even if I have to walk the whole thing I will finish it no matter what. I will keep Morgan and his family in my mind and whatever pain I experience it is nothing compared to what they are going through."
Anyone who wants to support Paula's fundraising in support of Morgan can do so by visiting her JustGiving page.
