FIREFIGHTERS who are missing their colleague after she was injured in a freak accident at the gym will cycle to every fire station in Cheshire to fundraise for her recovery.

On-call crew member Vicki Griffiths, who was part of the team at Birchwood Fire Station, was left paralysed from the waist down after breaking her back.

The accident happened while the 31-year-old was training in the gym on March 17 and she lifted 130kg on the squat rack.

The weight dropped on her back and then hit her head. The mum-of-two has been in hospital ever since and will need to have her house and car adapted in order to return home.

Firefighters have been fundraising to help pay for the changes so Vicki can get back to being a mum to her young sons as soon as possible.

Birchwood watch manager Mark Pollard, who is taking part in the ride on June 26 and 27, said: “We have a massive task ahead and will be riding over 70 miles a day, but this is nothing compared to what Vicki is facing.

“We are like a family and she’s one of our own, so if there’s anything we can do to help her then we will do it.

"Vicki has to re-adapt to her new life and any money that we raise along with the love from her family and friends will help to support her through her new challenges.”

Firefighters from across Cheshire have been organising activities to help Vicki and her family, including car washes at Birchwood Fire Station and Warrington Fire Station on Saturday from 10am until 4pm, and at Penketh Fire Station on Sunday from 10am until 4pm.

Volunteer gardener at Birchwood Fire Station, Craig Frost, will also be shaving his head to raise funds on Saturday at 2.30pm at Birchwood Shopping Centre.

To donate visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/FFGriffiths.