An engineering student, paralysed from the chest down by a motorcycle accident, now has special wheelchair, thanks to his family and local fundraisers.

Following a report in the Oxford Mail about the plight of Gareth Houston, 17, Didcot Rotary Club agreed to bridge the gap between fundraising by family and friends by making a grant of £1,800 towards the £3,700 cost.

Gareth says the stand-up wheelchair is essential for him to continue his studies for an engineering qualification to work as a motor engineer.

The donation followed discussions between the Rotary Club and the local Methodist minister, the Rev Tim Dibble.

Gareth, of Halse Water, Didcot, said: "I am unbelievably grateful to the Rotary Club for their generosity.

Gareth, who was lucky to survive the crash in Marcham, near Abingdon, in February, is also hoping to represent Britain as a powerlifter in the Paralympics in Greece later this year.

Since the accident, he has faced an uphill battle to recover from his injuries.

He contracted the MRSA superbug while in hospital, which was a major setback to his partial recovery.

Shortly before Christmas, Gareth returned to hospital for an operation to remove internal steel supports inserted because of the accident.

His stepfather Steve Carter, who gave up his job as an HGV and machine driver to look after him, said Gareth's partial recovery from the latest operation would take months. In the meantime, Gareth has returned to Oxford and Cherwell College in Oxford, where the new wheelchair enables him to operate a lathe from a stand-up position.

Rotary Club spokesman Dr Brian Hudson said: "The grant for the wheelchair followed a successful Christmas float collection by the club which raised £2,500."