THE family of a teenager seriously injured when he was hit by a train are raising money to buy him new limbs.

Ben Woods, 17, of Hurworth, lost his right arm and left leg in the accident on the East Coast main line near his home in July.

He has been receiving treatment at Middlesbrough General Hospital and is now home after a ten-week stay. Ben's family and friends are throwing themselves into fundraising and hope to raise enough money to buy him the best limbs possible. Ben has been issued with standard NHS limbs.

Villagers in Hurworth have organised a series of fundraising events. Paul Nixon, manager of the Station Hotel, organised a pool competition at the pub that was attended by Ben's dad, Paul.

Mr Woods, 42, of Banks Terrace, said: "We are absolutely over the moon about what people are doing. It is so nice. I went down to the pub last week and discovered that an old friend of mine, who I have not seen in years, had started the scheme off and had given £100.

"We do not really want to say how much we want to raise in case we do not get it and I do not want to be seen as disappointed as that would never be the case. We are absolutely thrilled with what people are doing."

Mr Nixon has organised a series of events at the pub.

He said: "We decided to do this because Ben's dad Paul drinks in the pub and everyone wanted to help out.

"People who know the family are interested in knowing how Ben is doing. We are hoping to raise as much money as we can."

Ben, a pupil at the Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, will continue his studies at home until he is well enough to return to school. Last month he heard he had passed AS levels in English literature, sociology, law and general studies.