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Sports wheelchair dream come true for paralysed former jockey





Wayne Burton, aged 30, even took part in a 13,000ft skydive to help raise the necessary £5,3000.
Mr Burton fell badly while riding in a National Hunt hurdle race at Exeter Racecourse in March, 2008, sevreley damaging his spinal cord.
He has been wheelchair-bound ever since, receiving regular rehabilitation training at the Injured Jockeys’ Fund headquarters in Oaksey House, Lambourn.
Mr Barton, who lives in Hungerford, made his jump in August over Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire with the help of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment display team, the Red Devils.
Speaking after his jump he said: “It was absolutely and totally out of this world - an off-the-scale experience.”
Following his accident, it seemed impossible for the fit jockey to pursue any kind of sporting activity. He initially lost his power of speech as well as movement and spent two years in hospitals and visiting rehabilitation facilities.
He said: “At times I felt really desperate. I was having seizures on a regular basis and was having to move between treatment centres as they were dealing with different aspects of my injuries.
“I was constantly tired but I had a huge amount of support and somehow I got through it.”
This March, he started training with the Thames Valley Kings Wheelchair Basketball Club and said: “If you want to succeed, then you need your own chair.
“Playing keeps me fit and the more I play, the stronger I get and the better my balance gets.”
Now Mr Barton has played his first match in the new chair.
He said he had been lucky enough to have received generous donations towards the cost, including sume from jockey Richard Hughes and from the Pheasant Inn at Shefford Woodlands.
Mr Barton said: “This is my first, proper season of basketball and I wanted to be more competitive. The sports wheelchair is made-to-measure and will, I hope, make a big difference to my game.”



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