THE beaming smile on his face tells the story of how overjoyed a Hexhamshire sportsman is with the support he has been given by the Tynedale community.

For generous donations from across the district allowed 20-year-old Edward Common to purchase a state-of-the-art wheelchair to allow him to continue representing England in the sport of powerchair football.

The captain of national champions Percy Hedley’s Northern Thunder side, the muscular dystrophy sufferer’s excellent performances throughout have already earned him many caps for his country.

To aid his development on the international stage, he desperately needed a new chair which, along with other necessary equipment, totalled more than £7,000.

At a loss to think how to raise the cash, his mother Lorna turned to online fund-raising – and the family has been bowled over by the support.

Providing a big help along the way has been the A Smile for a Child charity, while big donations came from Hexham Rotary Club, Tynedale Lions and The Henry Bell Trust.

Financial support has also been forthcoming from supporters of the Stay Strong Stu campaign, Whitley Chapel Young Farmers Club and Whitfield Clay Shoot, as well as from the Tynedale public.

Mrs Common said: “I am speechless. There’s so many amazing people out there that support local causes, and the farming community has once again been brilliant.

“When I set up the fund-raising, I would have been happy if it had taken nine months to a year to reach the target but I can’t belive it has only taken four months.

“Edward is over the moon and words can’t describe how happy he feels.

“I took him for his first try out in it on Saturday morning and he played in it for two-and-a-half hours and the grin from ear to ear never left his face!”

Edward will aim to help his Northern Thunder teammates to an appearance in the Wheelchair FA Cup final when they head to Brighton for the semis on Wednesday..

Following the completion of the season, Edward has been invited down to a training day with the England squad on July 4 at St George’s Park