Why not organise a fun run for her friend Garry Stead, who is paralysed from the waist down after a horrifying Speedway crash?

Wendy, who has two children and lives in Barkisland, mentioned it to other mums at Barkisland School, which her youngest child Sophie attends along with Garry's seven-year-old son Lewis.

The idea snowballed. Now hundreds of people are expected to take part in the run and attend a fun day at Upper Abbots Royd Farm, Barkisland the home of Lewis's grandparents, Mal and Janet Carter - on Sunday, September 23.

The event has been organised by Lewis's mum, 27-year-old Lucy Carter, Janet Carter and nine other mums from the school - with a little bit of help from their partners and children. Most of them had met 35-year-old Garry, who lives in Rastrick, at school functions and wanted to help boost a benefit fund set up after his freak accident in May this year.

He was riding for the Stoke Potters and crashed at 60mph shattering his spine, pelvis, leg and ankle. He also had head injuries, and paramedics who treated him at the scene said he `died' three times and had to be resusciated.

"He's lucky to be here with such horrendous injuries and owes his life to the paramedics," says Mal Carter, who was a speedway sponsor for several years in the 1970s and 80s. Garry has spent the past three-and-a-half months in four different hospitals and is now in the rehabilitation unit at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield. He's in a wheelchair and having daily physiotherapy, but hopes to be allowed home next month.

The fund, which already stands at £40,000 thanks to a benefit speedway event at Sheffield's Owlerton Stadium in August, is to buy him a specially adapted car and bungalow. Organisers hope it will reach £100,000. The fun day kicks off at 10.30am and includes entertainment for both adults and children. There's a rodeo bull, bouncy castle, giant Jenga and Connect, face painting bar and stalls, along with a BBQ, bar and live music from Greetland band, Reflections.

The adult four mile run round Norland starts at 11am and entrants can run or walk. Anyone who buys a £5 race card will be included in a draw with prizes worth thousands of pounds. On offer is a DVD home cinema system, a £300 car treatment, and meal and beauty vouchers. "Dozens of local companies have got involved making it a real community event, and we can't thank them enough. Some of the money raised is going to Barkisland School," says Janet Carter.

A children's race round a field has also been organised and fancy dress is optional. Garry will be judging the fancy dress and says speedway riders, teachers from Barkisland School and physio and nursing staff from Pinderfields have all promised to come along on the day.

The organising committee includes Janet, Lucy and Wendy along with Gaye Oliver and Alison Bush of Greetland, Jane Ginley and Ros Craven of Krumlin, and Sharon Worthey, Nicola Barker, Sue Stocks, Becky Ross and Sheila King of Barkisland.

Garry, who has another son, one-year-old Jensen, has been a speedway rider for the past 17 years and as a member of the British team raced all over Europe. As well as daily physio, he's going to the gym to strengthen his upper body and says he is getting stronger every day.

"My ambition at the moment is to get out of hospital as soon as possible", he said.

"Hopefully that will be next month. It's too early yet to say what the future holds but I'm very positive and know I'll be back on some sort of bike or quad in the not-too-distant future."

Lucy, who takes Garry out at weekends, said he had no regrets about what had happened because speedway was his life and had given him a brilliant lifestyle. She says Lewis is already showing an interest in bikes and she wouldn't be able to stop him if he wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps.

Anyone who wants to sponsor the event or get involved on the day should contact Janet Carter on 01422 823469.