THE family of a teenager with a rare genetic condition are putting in an order for a new all-terrain wheelchair to help him explore the dales around his home in North Yorkshire.

It means 15-year-old Marcus Weston, from Richmond, will be to go further afield and be able to go on walks with his family, including mum and dad Sam and Gary and sisters Joely and Romilly.

Hundreds of people have been helping to raise the £10,000 needed for the chair by taking part in their own walks.

The family started fundraising for buy it at the start of lockdown, and last week managed to reach their target.

Mrs Weston said: "It's all hugely exciting and we are hugely grateful to the people who have supported us and donated.

"I honestly thought about 30 people would take part so we were overwhelmed by the amount of support.

"There's so much going on with corona and people's jobs that it's overwhelming. It shows the strength of our community."

Fundraising started around the beginning of lockdown and they had raised about £6,000 before last weekend.

Saturday's activities raised about £3,000 and this week they topped their £10,000 target.

The Northern Echo:

Marcus, pictured during last week's fundraising effort

They had set out to cover the 874 miles between John O'Groats to Land's End but so many people took part they ended up covering a total of 2,672 miles – three times the length of the UK.

A total of 376 people took part, including Richmond firefighters, who ran 65 miles around the town with a donation bucket.

Marcus, who has helped raised thousands of pounds for charity in the past, and was last year recognised at the British Citizen Youth Awards for his contribution, is one of only about 400 people worldwide living with Cardio-Facio Cutaneous Syndrome, a rare genetic condition.

He is a pupil at Richmond School and Sixth Form, where his mum is also a teacher.

The Northern Echo:

Marcus, during his trip to London last year for the British Citizen Youth Awards

Mrs Weston said: "Marcus has worked really hard to get mobility. He's alright pottering around the classroom or the house but he struggles with inclines or any distance. A chair with a motor means we can get out and explore the Yorkshire dales and can go for walks as a family.

"It really is a chair for the future. It can be controlled by us when we're pushing and as he gets older the control can move to the front and he might be able to do it."

She added: "It will be amazing. The thing that struck me last week was that it was lots of families going out out and enjoying walks together and all we want to do is the same thing. It was lovely that was what people were doing to raise money for us.

"We just want to be together and not be held back by all the obstacles, like hills and sand."