A FOWEY teenager seriously injured in a motocross crash is facing a long road to recovery, with a fundraiser for his family having already raised more than £8,000.

Theo Cunningham, 15, was competing in a race at Landrake on Sunday, August 29, when he was thrown from his motorbike and landed around 20 metres from where he started.

The student at Fowey River Academy was left unresponsive and bleeding following the crash, which saw the race immediately stopped and an air ambulance called.

Theo had been wearing a helmet, but it was ripped off by the bike during the crash.

Paramedics stabilised him at the scene before he was airlifted to Bristol Children’s Hospital, where his parents, Tom and Claire, have remained by his bedside.

Theo was initially unable to speak for several days following the accident, while a brain scan revealed damage. His long-term recovery remains unclear, with doctors warning his parents that he could be in hospital for months as he undergoes treatment and rehabilitation.

Among his injuries, Theo currently has no use of his left arm. Doctors have said this could be linked to the area of the brain affected by the injury or could be the result of nerve damage.

However, there have been encouraging signs in his condition. Theo has now begun communicating verbally after initially only being able to squeeze people’s hands, and his family say he is getting stronger day by day.

He remains very unwell and requires significant assistance with his everyday needs.

A fundraiser has been launched by Theo’s aunt, Lindsey Bailey-Lewis, to help the family deal with the financial pressures of spending an extended period at his hospital bedside.

More than £8,000 has now been raised and Lindsey said the family had been overwhelmed by the support shown by the motocross community and members of the public following Theo’s accident.

She said: “I’ve already seen the pressure, stresses and strains and want to do whatever I can to help.”

Theo had worked odd jobs and saved up to buy his motorbike, with his parents now unable to work while they spend time supporting their son in hospital.

The fundraiser is intended to help ease the financial burden on the family while they focus on Theo’s recovery.

Lindsey said: “The road ahead will be long and Tom and Claire will remain by Theo’s side for as long as it takes.

“We’re asking for whatever help you can give – whether a donation, a share, or a kind message – every bit will go directly to Theo and his family to help cover these costs and give him the best possible care and recovery,” she said.

The family have also praised the emergency services and hospital staff who have cared for Theo since the crash.

Lindsey said any money left over from the appeal following Theo’s recovery will be donated to the organisations involved in his care.

“Anything that may be left from your kind donations will be donated to Devon Air Ambulance and Bristol Children’s Hospital,” she said.