THERE is some encouraging news about Chris Sumner, the Gosford All Blacks rugby player, who has been paralysed since suffer a neck injury during an Oxfordshire Cup tie against Witney in January.

The 30-year-old winger, who was recently moved to Stoke Mandeville Hospital, has recovered some feeling in both arms.

"The doctors are naturally cautious, but I understand that it's quite normal to take this long for feeling to come back," said Chris's sister, Alison Dunhill.

Alison attended Gosford's farewell day to their Langford Lane clubhouse on Saturday, when she received a cheque for £1,000 from Oxfordshire RFU to help the family's travelling expenses to Stoke Mandeville, which is near Aylesbury.

The money was raised by a collection at the Oxon Cup final last month. A further £500 has been raised by the Black Bull and Red Lion pubs in Kidlington.

Story date: Friday 30 April

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.