A ROW has broken out over money raised by Middlewich residents to help a double amputee walk again.

More than £800 is being held by the landlady of the Turnpike Pub in a dispute over where the money will go.

People in Middlewich pulled together to raise the cash at an event at the Warmingham Lane pub in September, after an appeal to help 21-year-old Booth Lane crash victim, James Harrold, appeared on the front page of the Guardian.

The event was the first of many planned fundraisers by James and his mum Lorraine Neal, who say they need to raise £20,000 to buy suitable prosthetic legs.

Members of the public attended the family fun day but the money is still being held by Turnpike landlady Fleur Sherlock two months on.

Fleur said she had concerns when James and his family went on holiday to the African islands Cape Verde a week after the fundraising event.

Fleur told the Guardian: “The money is still in the safe because I do not want to pay it into a personal account. 

“I am really proud of my regulars who pulled together and chipped in to raise the money. 

"I have to make sure it’s being used for the right reasons for them."

Despite Fleur insisting that she will only pay the money into a charity account, James told the Guardian that it is not possible for him to have one.

James said: “For the holiday, my mum put £400 towards it and I paid the rest which was about £1,400. 

"I used my own money. I would not touch anybody else’s money to go on holiday with.

“I have not been on holiday for five years since before the accident. Are people saying that I shouldn’t go on holiday? I have gone through trauma and I want to live my life as best as I can.

“I’m desperate to get back up on my legs and desperate to get back walking again and my mum is doing her best to get that money raised.

“I went to set the account up at Nationwide and I explained to the woman who worked there that it was for fundraising money and it wasn’t to be touched until I have I can get those legs.

“After I’d set it up I went to the Turnpike to get the money and Fleur said that I have got to set up a charity account, but I can’t set up a charity account, it’s not possible.”

The Charity Commission confirmed that James would not be able to set up such a bank account.

A spokesman for the Charity Commission said: “Raising funds for an individual cannot be charitable however worthy the cause, therefore he wouldn’t be eligible to open a charitable account.

“There may be other types of not-for-profit accounts he could open but I’m not able to advise on these. 

"Unfortunately we aren’t able to become involved in a dispute of this nature.”