TEENAGER Gavin Wilson, who broke his neck in a fall at a York BMX track, has been left paralysed, his family have said.

Gavin's mother, Annette Marwood, said her son had been left quadriplegic after being injured in the fall from his mountain bike while riding over a jump at the St Nicholas Fields park, in Tang Hall, last June.

She was speaking as Gavin, aged 14, a pupil at Burnholme Community College, spent his first weekend since the accident at home.

But Mrs Marwood said her son was in good spirits and she is not ruling out the hope that his condition may still improve.

Gavin is still in a specialist spinal injuries unit at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, where he is working hard to become as independent as possible, although he will need round-the-clock care.

Mrs Marwood said it was possible that he could be discharged from the hospital by Christmas.

She said: "He's looking forward to going back to school. He's had teachers in to see him in hospital and they have been discussing all the work he's going to do.

"Everybody has been great and we have had lots of well-wishers.

"Gavin is working hard. He's looking forward to getting back to school and having as normal a life as possible."

Meanwhile, the youngsters who campaigned for the BMX track are to decide its fate. They will be consulted by the Friends of St Nicholas Fields, the committee which runs the nature park, on whether it should be bulldozed or whether it should remain in use.

The meeting, which is being organised by Tang Hall youth worker Mick Phillips to take place in the next few weeks, comes as local youngsters set about editing a short BMX film which they filmed in the summer and have dedicated to Gavin.

Gordon Campbell Thomas, park ranger of St Nicholas Fields, said the Friends had discussed the track and they wanted to find out what the young people wanted before any decisions were made.

He said: "The kids wanted it and the Friends, being a community-minded group, responded to their request.

"And now if the kids don't want it in light of what's happened, that's what we'll also do.

"It's essential that we find out what they want to do."

Mr Phillips said: "We want to work alongside the young people, and if they decide that the track should go we will have to work out where they can go instead.

"A lot of these sports will still take place, it's trying to remove as much of the dangers and potential for injury as possible."

Updated: 10:58 Monday, October 15, 2001