A CARLISLE dad left paralysed from the chest down in a freak accident says he is looking forward to a more settled Christmas with his family.

This time last year, Matty Thicke was in and out of hospital and unable to move.

Now, he is making remarkable progress after being helped by a charity, and has regained limited movement in his neck, arms and hands.

Over the years, veteran fundraiser Geoff Brown has raised thousands of pounds for a variety of good causes ­— and he set his sights on helping Matty in his recovery, by organising swimming lessons at the pool in James Street.

Earlier in the year, Geoff pledged to pay for six months of lessons, but has now decided to extend this for at least 12 months after hearing about the major improvements in Matty's condition.

“I’d heard about him because of his accident,” explained Geoff.

“At the time, because he was paralysed from neck down, he was in Middlesbrough, and there was only one woman that could do the hydrotherapy. Matty could be there for up to five weeks at a time doing nothing.

“So I paid for six months non-stop for him to go into a hydrotherapy pool with a specialist.

“He was coming on leaps and bounds, because he is an ex-soldier he is very focused and very driven.”

Geoff has now extended this to at least 12 months, with the hopes of one day seeing Matty take his first step.

On the afternoon of July 6, 2019, Matty, from Stanwix, in Carlisle, was walking with his wife, their young sons, Daniel and Jack, two family friends and their two daughters.

He was injured after falling from a tree and landing on his head. During his fall, he fractured the C6 vertebra in his neck.

He was rushed to hospital in Newcastle for an operation and has also received treatment at Middlesbrough’s James Cook Hospital.

As part of his recovery, he was having swimming lessons three-days-a-week and this was giving him something to look forward to and focus on.

Matty is pleased with how his recovery is going since starting the swimming lessons and is looking forward to how things will progress.

He said: “It’s massive. The problem is with people that are paralysed it’s hard to find a sport where you can get your cardio going.

“It’s a massive thing for me to keep fit. Being in the pool is the most normal I can feel.

“I can float there and swim and it’s a good feeling overall. It’s a good wellbeing feeling being able to get out and just do something normal.”

Matty initially wore a life jacket during his swimming sessions, but quickly moved on to using floats and he now swims about in the pool freely.

Geoff is equally pleased he has been able to help aid Matty’s recovery in some way.

He said: “My charity will pay indefinitely for him to go back to the pools non-stop.

“For me personally, if Matty takes one step, we’ve done it.

“The difference has been phenomenal.”

All measures will be put in place to make sure it is Covid safe and Geoff is hoping he can get two years non-stop lessons for Matty - helping to give him a purpose in life.

Whe Matty was first in Newcastle he could only move his head, but since then has slowly been able to regain movement in his arms and has been working on building his strength.

“As time has gone by I’ve started to get more tricep muscle which is a big thing for lifting,” added Matty.

“I’ve been given more freedom so I can transfer from bed to shower chair.

“We’re a year on from last Christmas, at this point I know I’m staying home, whereas last year I was coming home for a week or so but then I was having to go back to hospital.

“This year is a lot better, family life has setted into our routine and things are a lot easier. The home is adapted now.

“It’s going to be a lot better.”

Matty is extremely pleased to be able to have the lessons in the pool and work on his strength.

He said: “It’s good. Even if it’s just being able to get out of the house it’s a good thing.

“It’s an all over work out. It’ll be a good thing to be able to get it done for a whole year and see how much further I can come.

“When you are in hospital they try to give you hydrotherapy lessons, for spinal injuries pool time is a really good thing.

“It’s recognised by the hospital and physiotherapists so if you are lucky to have access to it then it is definitely recommended for recovery.”

Matty is a former soldier who served in Afghanistan and since 2013 has worked at Carlisle’s Pirelli factory.

He and his family are taking his recovery carefully, while not ruling out the possibility that he might one day walk again they have previously said.