A YORK mum who was paralysed during childbirth has completed a month-long challenge with her family to give back to the charity that supported her.

Irrum Betts, from Strensall, lost the use of her legs following complications during the birth of her daughter, Amelie, in 2014.

Following her discharge from the spinal cord injury unit at Stoke Mandeville, she was told she wouldn’t regain the movement and feeling in her legs.

However, Irrum has not let her disability hold her back and has completed the ‘Step It Up Challenge’ to support the Neurokinex charity - which gives life-changing opportunities of free rehabilitation sessions for newly injured people.

Irrum, 41, a former clinical scientist, said: “Neuokinex are a team of incredible people who push you to achieve as much as possible while making you feel positive and motivated. They made a huge difference to me, they have no limits and encourage you to try new things.”

The challenge invited people to travel as many miles as they could by walking, cycling, swimming, using their wheelchair or a handcycle - with the aim of raising £20,000 during August.

Alongside her husband Adam and daughter Amelie, Irrum aimed to cover 130 miles and raise £500.

“We went out for long walks together with me in my wheelchair and topped up these miles with Adam running, Amelie cycling and me walking indoors and the daily sessions on my adapted recumbent bike,” Irrum said.

The family have gone on to smash their fundraising target - hitting more than £1,000.

“It was worth every penny,” Irrum added.

She said she now plans to work hard to achieve her “ultimate goal” of walking outdoors with her orthotics.

The family’s donation page remains open, and can be accessed at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Irrum-Betts