A wheelchair rugby player will take part in an accessible fun run to help raise money to support her team.

Grace McGowan, 25, from Weymouth, will compete in Parallel London to raise money for the Dorset Destroyers, a wheelchair rugby team based in Poole.

Grace suffered a spinal cord injury in 2014 and will complete the event’s 1km challenge using a ReWalk Exoskeleton.

She explained the accessible fun run will be a tough challenge.

She said: “I am doing a week of training in Shepton Mallet in Somerset with Hobbs Physiotherapy. It is going to be a challenge but it is a fantastic feeling when you use the exoskeleton. It’s such an amazing piece of kit.”

Grace will donate the money she raises directly to the club which has become a massive part of her life.

She added: “In order for the club to continue and be in the league they need money for the chairs, parts and the maintenance that go with it. I want to help them out.

“I joined the club one year ago, after my injury there wasn’t a team like it locally, so I went out to Poole and really enjoyed it.

“It is not just the sport that I enjoy, the team is like a family, we all have good banter, no one’s disability is worse than anyone else’s.”

Parallel London is the world’s first fully accessible run/push and will be held at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

A spokesman from Parallel London said: “The festival is an ambitious and colourful celebration of inclusivity and the Mayor of London has pledged his support to it for the next five years.”

“Disabled and able-bodied people of all ages and abilities can join the run side-by-side, running, walking, pushing or being pushed with no cut-off times and the choice of 10km, 5km, 1km or 100m challenges.”

Parallel London will take place on Sunday, September 3.