Grieving mum thanks community

A GRIEVING mother has thanked the community for the support it has given after her double tragedy.

Mandy Hurren, of Leiston, was devastated when her son Shaun Wright, 20, was paralysed from the waist down following a motorbike crash and then six weeks later his brother, Simon, 21, was killed in a similar accident.

The mother-of-eight has since had to battle against the financial difficulties of arranging Simon's funeral and travelling to visit Shaun, who is still recovering in Stoke Mandeville Hospital, in Buckinghamshire, up to four times a week.

But she said how her friends and neighbours had been a pillar of support.

She said: “I want to say thank you to everyone for the help they have given because people have been very, very generous and fantastic.”

Simon died after he lost control of the black Yamaha DT 125 motorcycle he was riding and hit a tree in the early hours on Sunday, June 10.

The accident happened just over a month after Shaun severed his spine following a motorcycle crash on the Thorpe Road, between Thorpeness and Aldeburgh.

A fundraiser was held in memory of Simon and to help raise money for the family in Leiston last month, which generated £2,322 - and more funds were collected when the town's middle school held a non-uniform day.

Mrs Hurren said people had also given money in sympathy cards and one lady has posted money-off petrol coupons through the door.

She said: “It seems awful to talk about money at a time like this but everything seems to be costing more because I'm not here all the time.”

As well as looking after all the children at home - Scott, nine, Stefan, seven, Stacey and Sammy, both 17, Sara, 15, and Sadie, 10 - Mrs Hurren visits Shaun every other day, which costs £40 a trip in petrol, plus the costs of keeping the car on the road.