A TEAM of workers are planning a half marathon in aid of a friend who cannot be released from hospital until he has a stairlift installed in his home.

Staff from TKA Tallent Engineering, in Newton Aycliffe, are choosing to walk the 13-and-a-half miles rather than run and will be raising money for 35-year-old colleague Michael Paterson.

Mr Paterson, who suffers from Muscular Dystrophy, had a fall a few weeks ago and doctors at the University Hospital of North Durham say he cannot go home until a stairlift has been installed.

Jimmy Forster, from Newton Aycliffe, who works with Mr Paterson, said: "Everybody admires Michael and this is something we want to do to get him back to work and among friends."

Mr Paterson, from Spennymoor, who has worked as assistant administrator for 15 years for TKA Tallent, cannot afford to pay for the stairlift from his own pocket and cannot claim benefits because he is in full-time employment.

Senior executives and shop-floor workers want to raise between £1,300 and £2,000 by marching from company's gates to Durham City Centre to pay for the stairlift and its installation.

The walk will start at 9am at the Gatehouse, at Tallent's premises, in Newton Aycliffe, on Saturday, April 2.