Paralysed Blackburn schoolboy hopes to compete in 2016 Paralympics (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Paralysed Blackburn schoolboy hopes to compete in 2016 Paralympics

1:30pm Thursday 13th December 2012 in News By Jessica Cree, Education reporter

A TEENAGER, paralysed in a rugby tackle, has gone back to school just 10 months after his ‘life changing’ accident – and is hoping to train for the Paralympics.

George Claxton, who has just turned 16, was playing for Blackburn U15s when he committed to a tackle and was flipped over by the momentum of his body crashing into his opponent.

He had to undergo a major operation and was left wheelchair-bound.

But the inspirational St Wilfrid’s CoE High School pupil, who lives in Sandringham Close, headed back to school to study for his GCSEs last week – and it is hoped he won’t even have to redo the year.

The year 11 pupil’s dad Andrew said: “It was the next goal for George to get back to school.

“It was a long time coming and it kept getting put back a little bit, but it was like Christmas for him, he was so excited.

“He has been away from all of his friends for so long and he has got quite a lot of catching up to do.”

George is studying English, maths, science and sports BTEC and is hoping to get into engineering when he leaves school. He is still playing sport and is even hoping to compete at the Rio de Janiero 2016 Olympics in wheelchair rugby. Mr Claxton said: “He still wants to have a go.

“He has been setting himself goals, the first was to go back to school and he has just got his driving licence so he is going to go looking for a car. It is a little bit worrying, I must admit, but he is ambitious.”

Renovations are being done to their home and a lift is being installed so George can go upstairs. They are hoping the adaptations will be finished by Christmas, when family from Sheffield will visit.