SCRAPPERS Gym has raised hundreds of pounds with a special boxing training session held on Wednesday night.

The money will go towards a new wheelchair for Charlie Dawson, one of the gym's regulars.

The 22-year-old from Moredon has outgrown the wheelchair he's had since he was a teen and wants to buy a new state-of-the-art model which is bigger, lighter and has off-road capabilities and powered steering.

The new top-of-the-range wheelchair would stop Charlie being restricted to the pavement when he goes outside and would ease the strain on his shoulders from pushing the chair manually.

Gym owner and head coach Paul Rodgers was very pleased with the generosity shown by the local community.

He said: "We raised £206 on the night which two people have since matched, tripling our total, and donations are still coming in, it's brilliant.

"On Wednesday, we invited people to come along and make a donation to Charlie's charity and we held a session between myself and the other trainers Kelly Morgan and Alan Reid.

"We did some some individual pads and bags and had a lot of fun."

Charlie suffers from a very rare combination of muscular disorders: paroxysmol non-kinesogenic choreoathetosis and dystonia, which cause painful involuntary full-body spasms, and ataxia, which affects his speech, balance and co-ordination.

He will be climbing the 880m-high mountain Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons in September with a team of helpers.

Friends and family are organising several other events in the run up to his big climb to pay for the £10,500 wheelchair.

To donate, call Charlie's mum Jackie on 07545 879804.