By james art A grandmother’s family stepped in to help her complete a cycle challenge in memory of her daughter and grandson after she broke her arm.
Carlene Warner, 30, and her eight-month-old nephew Zachary Blades died on the A1(M) in County Durham when they were hit by a speeding drunk driver.
Alison Warner challenged herself to walk 700 miles (1,127 km) from her home in France to County Durham to raise money for a private room at Darlington Hospital for families.
During the final leg, she fell and broke her arm, so Zachary’s father, Jack Blades, stepped up and completed the last 80 miles (129 km).
Mrs Warner, 59, had made it to York when she slipped on a curb and broke her humerus.
She said she was “touched” when Mr Blades offered to take on the final stage.
“Jack is such an amazing person, his mum Kelly has done an amazing job raising him,” she said.
Dozens of people met Mr Blades and Ms Warner in County Durham on Thursday.
They pushed Mrs Warner in her wheelchair for the last mile and a half of the route.
Mrs Warner said: “Carlene and Zachary were never far from my thoughts, which helped me cope with the pain.
“The challenge is getting through life without them, not riding a bike.”
She was raising money to build a private room at Darlington Hospital for families after her family used the ‘refuge room’ at the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVI) in Newcastle after the collision.
They completed the challenge in time for Carleen’s 31st birthday.
Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Next door and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]