School runs to help injured pupil

Micah Kogo and Bernard Kipyego train with Merchiston Castle School pupils

Hundreds of school friends of a pupil who injured his spine in a rugby accident have raised money for a rugby charity in the Great Edinburgh Run.

Nick Watt, 18, is still recovering after a scrum accidentally collapsed in a match between two rival schools.

The teenager's life-threatening injury left pupils and teachers at Merchiston Castle School in shock last September.

They have raised £40,000 for Hearts and Balls, a charity helping his recovery, by signing up for Sunday's 10km race.

It is the single largest charitable donation in the history of the event.

We see it as both a great sign of the friendship that his school friends feel for Nick Willie Watt Nick Watt's father

The Merchiston pupils were the Bupa run's largest single group by far.

The fundraiser was the brainchild of one of the former Scottish under-18 international's best friends, Patrick Costello, who said he was amazed to more than double his initial £10,000 target.

He said: "This is such a worthwhile cause and he is such a good friend to many people in the year.

"He is very happy that we are doing it, although I think he was a bit shocked at first to find out how many people are doing it.

"He comes into school every Wednesday and has started to get the feeling and movement in his arm again."

The money will go to Hearts and Balls who help rugby players who have suffered spinal injuries to get moving again with new wheelchairs, specialist mattresses, car insurance for a specialist vehicle, or even a carer.

The teenager's father, Willie Watt said: "Nick and all of his friends and family are very supportive of the Merchiston boys' commitment to Hearts and Balls.

"We see it as both a great sign of the friendship that his school friends feel for Nick and also a very practical source of funds and support to Hearts and Balls which looks after all of those who have been injured playing rugby, the game that they love.

"We would like to thank Patrick Costello for coming up with such a great idea."