Teacher, 40, left paralysed for life after being crushed by 120kg barbell at the gym

A PE teacher was left paralysed after slipping while doing a squat,causing a 120kg barbell to crush her spine. 

Henrietta Paxton,40,from Salisbury,Wiltshire,would regularly use the hefty weights in the gym and had never experienced an injury. 

However,in May this year,the barbell unexpectedly slipped backwards during a set of squats,ending up behind her shoulders.

The mum-of-two tried to readjust her stance,but overcompensated — knocking herself forward and ultimately being crushed under the heavy weight. 

Ms Paxton was rushed to Southampton General Hospital where doctors conducted scans and tests,and delivered the devastating news that she'd broken part of her spine and damaged her spinal cord,leaving her paralysed from the waist down. 

She hopes the work on the house will be done in the next six weeks and then she can be discharged from the hospital and return home

However,Ms Paxton has been left unable to get around her own home so has launched a JustGiving page in the hope of raising some of the £230,000 that is likely to be needed to convert her three-story house. 

Some of the money raised will also be put towards private rehab once she has been discharged from the hospital.

Ms Paxton said she needs a platform lift fitted outside of her house and a through floor lift  inside so she can get between floors in addition to adapting a bathroom so she can use it.

Ms Paxton said: 'It's a big target but I'm feeling hopeful.

'We know it's a lot,we don't get any grants to make the changes to our house,nothing at all. So we have to pay for all of that ourselves as well as any further rehab.

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'It's a three-storey townhouse,which is just ridiculous. You couldn't have picked a more unsuitable house for a wheelchair.

'Because my long term goal is to stand again and to walk,if I want to chase that goal then I have to fund private rehab.

'That's not cheap but that's the way the system works.

'I think I've been overwhelmed by the support from friends and family. Although this has been the worst thing you could sort of imagine happening,it's showed me how amazing human beings can be and we've had so much love and support shown to us.

'We've got a lot to raise so honestly every little tiny bit is so greatly appreciated and does help so I just want to say a massive thank you to anybody and everybody who has already donated and might still donate. 

'I have two small boys,they're three and five and I need to get back to them.

'I just want to be back with my family. I don't want their lives to be affected by my mistake and my accident. I don't want it to affect their opportunities or the things we do as a family.'

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