AN eight-year-old boy will run five kilometres to raise money for a man who lost his legs in an accident.

Cole Evans, formerly of Worcester, now lives in Dubai, but when he heard about Joe Peplow, from Malvern, he came up with the idea of a sponsored run to raise money for a new wheelchair. Mr Peplow, aged 54, lost both legs four years ago in a road accident and needs more than £2,500 for a new lightweight wheelchair.

Cole’s mum, Aimee Evans, said: “A close friend of mine knows Joe personally and asked if we could hold a fund-raiser over in Dubai at our bar/restaurant to raise money for Joe. I was talking to Cole about this and he said. ‘Mummy, I want to help Joe’.

“We had already discussed him taking part in the 5k Colour Run and so he said, ‘Can’t I do that to get money for Joe?’ I was so proud of him.” Mr Peplow, of Park Close, Malvern, was driving a lorry on the motorway when a dog ran on to the road.

He said: “I lost both legs and nearly lost my left arm and I was in hospital for six months. “Because they couldn’t find the owner of the dog I didn’t get a penny. I have a wheelchair now but I need to get a lighter one because I have arthritis in my hip and a titanium one would make it easier to get it in and out of the car.”

Mrs Evans, who left Worcester two years ago, said £300 had been pledged to Cole’s online page and women living near to the family in Dubai have sponsored him a further £400.

Organisers of a comedy night have also agreed to donate £2 from each ticket to the cause.

She said: “We still have another month to go and we are determined to carry on getting more.

“Cole has such a big heart when it comes to people less fortunate and I told him I would do everything I could to help him raise money.”

The Colour Run will take place in Dubai on Saturday, December 14, and the family plans to return to the UK on Tuesday, December 17, when they will hand over the money to Mr Peplow.

Mr Peplow said: “I can’t wait to meet Cole. It will be wonderful.”

He said he has about £1,400 still to raise and a fund-raiser will also be held at the Goodrest Inn, Barker Street, Worcester, on Friday, December 13. Donations can be made to Cole’s page at gofundme.com/57il9w.

l Mr Peplow also plans to start up a Worcestershire amputee group where people can get together, chat and support each other. Anyone interested can call him on 07592 760084 or e-mail jpep low@hotmail.co.uk.