A WOLVES fan is bidding to go to a home game three years after he was paralysed from the neck down.

Reg Hazell, aged 53, is currently in specialist care in Southport after his spine was badly damaged when an abcess exploded.

Despite being in a wheelchair unable to walk, the former season ticket holder is determined to make it back to the Haliwell Jones after going to games for 45 years.

He said: “I have been watching Warrington for years but this illness has really knocked me back.

“I’ve been watching them on television and just think I should be there.

“If there was a way of getting me to a game, I’d love to go.”

Reg was a window cleaner in the town for more than 40 years, living on Rowland Close.

In December 2010 he noticed his shoulders were getting sore so went to Warrington Hospital for a scan.

“I woke up and couldn’t move anything - only my thumb.

“It was strange because my family was around me and I was just lying there.

“They asked me if I was ok, but I couldn’t answer.”

Reg, also an Everton fan, later discovered an abcess on his neck had been causing the pain.

That had burst, damaging his spinal column and leaving him paralysed.

He was taken to the spinal unit at Southport Hospital where he remained for 12 months.

The father-of-three does not know when he will leave the home for spine injury patients, or if he will walk again.

“It’s been hard seeing people do the things I like to do and wonder if I’ll get to do them again.

“What happened changed my life and I don’t know what’s in front of me.

“I can’t express how it feels to be pushed around in a wheelchair, or going into a shop and knocking things over.

“Sometimes it still upsets me a bit but I try to put it to the back of my mind.

“I’ve got little bits of movement in my arms and legs, but is it wishful thinking to think I’ll get up and move one day?

“But I keep hoping that one day, I will walk again.”

Jayne Parker is secretary of Spinal Unit Action Group, the charity that spends £40,000 a year funding the specialist accomodation where Reg lives.

It is also able to provide trips and holidays like Reg’s planned trip to the Halliwell Jones, but is heavily reliant on donations to do so.

She said: “We provide a range of support to families and patients - transport, financial help, relief, trips and holidays.

“As a small charity we rely on people who are good enough to help us with donations, sponsorship and fundraising.

“We help out wherever we can, whenever we can with whatever we can, and it’s fantastic when people can help us.”

To help Reg get to a Wolves game by supporting SUAG, go to suag.co.uk or donate at justgiving.com/spinalunitactiongroup

A GRAPPENHALL woman is cycling 1000 miles to raise money for the charity that support her ‘inspirational’ friend.

Glenis Naylor, aged 63, of York Drive, had not ridden a bike properly before until she started the challenge earlier this year.

She is aiming to cover the distance by September 1, with 680 miles down so far, riding up to 45 miles at a time.

Reg Hazell was her window cleaner for more than 30 years, and after hearing of his accident, Glenis wanted to help.

She said: “I’m doing this for him because he was so kind to the people in our neighbourhood.

“Even now he is smiling and enthusiastic and determined.

“He has been inspirational the way he has been determined to recover, so if he can do that, I can get to 1000 miles.

“I don’t like asking people for money but hopefully this is a good way to do it.”

The money raised by Glenis will go to the Spinal Unit Action Group.

To donate go to justgiving.com\glenisnaylor.