A student left paralysed after a motorcycle accident is fundraising for a standing wheelchair to help him train as a hairdresser.

Mitchell Chalmers needs £4,900 for the wheelchair, which would make a huge difference to his learning as a first-year student at Bath College. He was just 22-years-old when he came off his bike at a motocross racing event three years ago, suffering severe spinal injuries as a result.

Going back to college, to train for a profession and secure a job, is an important step along his road to recovery. Mitchell, who is paralysed from the stomach down, said: “I’d been riding since I was eight-years-old and I’d got to British Championship level. I feel I have had so much taken away from me, and I need to fight and get something back.

“It’s been hard to find a job since my accident, but I think I’m young enough to try something new, and being in a wheelchair won’t stop me. I have a dream to become a hairdresser so I can support myself financially, I’m quite creative and I think there’s a real art to hairdressing.”

The standing wheelchair will give Mitchell extra height and support, making it easier for him to lift and cut people’s hair. Students in his class are getting behind the appeal and are planning a fundraising event at the Bath College salon.

For the week after half-term, starting on Monday, 31st October, students are organising a rowing machine challenge. Participants will pay £1 to see how fast they can row 1,000 metres, with a prize for the fastest time.