Spinal injury teenager on charity hike

A TEENAGE rugby player told he might never walk again after suffering a serious injury last night completed the second day of an incredibly gruelling 100-mile charity trek.

Connor Docherty, 19, from Paisley, suffered a spinal injury playing rugby for St Aloysius College in 2008. He has been helped through his recovery by physiotherapist Eilidh Dorrian of Cartha Queens Park RFC, and she agreed to walk with Connor - and provide physio - on an ambitious seven-day hike of the West Highland Way from Fort William to Milngavie.

His father, Leo, is also walking and after completing 21 miles from Kinlochleven across Rannoch Moor in pouring rain to arrive at Bridge of Orchy shattered and wet, he admitted: "It's time for a beer! It has been a very tough start. It was a tough day yesterday (Monday] because there was a lot of scree so Connor had to watch every step. It took us 11 hours to do the 16 miles, and we've been going about ten-and-a-half hours today.

"Connor did 11 miles because there is no accommodation for the 21 miles on this leg and he couldn't do that in a day. So he did ten miles on Saturday on the treadmill as his part of it. He's doing about a mile-and-a-half an hour which is really good."

Connor is raising money for the Murrayfield Centenary Fund, a charity set up in 1972 to support rugby players and which has also played a key role in supporting Connor through his rehabilitation.

"The recovery process has been the biggest challenge of my life," he admitted. "However without the Murrayfield Centenary Fund I would not be anywhere near the stage I am at now and probably wouldn't have been able to continue my rehab after leaving the hospital.

"I am so thankful to the late Bill Hogg (former MCF administrator] who was extremely supportive throughout this process."

To donate, go to: http://www.justgiving.com/Eilidh-Dorrian