A TEENAGER who broke his neck in two places in an horrific accident last August is making “slow but very steady progress”, according to his grandparents.

Mark Lord

A TEENAGER who broke his neck in two places in an horrific accident last August is making “slow but very steady progress”, according to his grandparents.

Matthew Moore suffered the terrible injury when he dived from a trampoline into a swimming pool in the garden of his home in Clay Common, Frostenden, near Southwold.

The 13-year-old's injuries included the two fractures to his neck and severe damage to his spinal cord, and he remained on a ventilator in intensive care at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, for many months.

“Despite the prognosis being very poor in the early days, Matthew has repeatedly proved the doctors wrong and has shown such good potential to walk again that he is currently at the National Spinal Injuries Centre in Stoke Mandeville hospital where he will be for the next three months,” said his grandmother Janet Buck, from Leiston.

“He now has some movement in his legs and takes such pleasure in showing you what he can do, he is so very proud.

“It is hoped that at Stoke Mandeville that with his determination, the skill of the medical professionals and support he will eventually walk again.”

Mrs Buck and her husband Charlie said there has been overwhelming kindness shown to Matthew, now 14, and his family from the local community.

“We would like to, on behalf of all the family, thank everyone for their kind support and generous donations to Matthew's Fund, especially the employees of both Sizewell power stations,” she added.

Money raised is split between Matthew's Fund and the East Anglian Air Ambulance. The air ambulance took just four minutes to get Matthew to hospital following the accident.

“The air ambulance is run entirely by voluntary donations and sponsorship,” said Mrs Buck. “Thank God it was there when we needed it most. Our daughter Carol, Matthew's mum, is intending to fund raise for them indefinitely as a means of thanking them.”

Matthew's mother, who is herself disabled following two strokes, will be doing a sponsored walk up and down Southwold pier on May 18.

Mrs Buck added: “This date is the sixth anniversary of her stroke. Having also been told that she may never walk again, she wanted to prove to herself and her son that if you have the courage and the will power to dig deep enough then anything is possible.”

To sponsor Ms Moore on her walk or to donate to Matthew's Fund, contact Mr and Mrs Buck on 01728 830261.