Steven completes London Marathon challenge

A STRATFORD-UPON-AVON man has completed the London Marathon despite being told he would never walk again.

Steven Smith's time of nine hours and 17 minutes yesterday, Sunday, was a personal challenge and a fundraiser for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation (nsif) - a charity devoted to finding a cure for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury.

The 57-year-old, who owns Hunscote Stud in Wellesbourne, was attacked at his holiday home in the south of France in 2011 when armed men broke into his property.

To escape them, he jumped out of a first floor window, fell into a ravine and broke his

spine.

Mike Milner, chief executive of nsif, said: “We are enormously grateful to Steven for taking on this incredible challenge to raise funds for pioneering research to find a cure for spinal cord injury.

"Steven has shown remarkable courage, strength and tenacity throughout his recovery.

"His completion of the London Marathon is a momentous achievement and gives hope to thousands of people living with spinal cord injury."

Pick up a copy of Thursday's Stratford-upon-Avon Herald to find out how other runners from our patch got on on Sunday. Download a copy of the paper from 9am on Thursday HERE.