A man who spent eight painstaking weeks learning to walk again after being paralysed by a rare condition is to raise money for the charity that helped get him back on his feet.

In February last year PE teacher Phil Lewis was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), a serious condition which affects the nervous system.

The 35-year-old was admitted to Medway Maritime Hospital where he spent a week in intensive care and a further three weeks on a ward as the condition meant he became paralysed and needed round the clock care and a wheelchair.

Mr Lewis said: “I owe a great deal to the intensive care team of doctors and nurses and the amazing support and help of the physiotherapists at Medway hospital.”

He was then transferred to a neurological rehabilitation centre in Sevenoaks called The Knole Centre where he learned to walk again.

Now Mr Lewis and his wife Kathryn, 31, who live in Hoo, are planning to cycle 100 miles to raise money for GAIN, a charity which carries out reseatch into GBS and other inflammatory neurological conditions.

He said: “We are trying to raise money for this cause because we would like to raise awareness of the charity and to give something back in thanks for all the people who helped me fully recover from this debilitating syndrome.”

The cycle ride is on Saturday, July 9, starting on the Hoo Peninsula and then going through the North Downs, Green Sand Ridge, Sevenoaks and West Kent. They will also be tackling four big climbs up Vigo Hill, Yorks Hill, Toys Hill and Exdown Hill.

Mrs Lewis, who works as a statistician in London, will also be taking part in the Color Vibe 5km run on Sunday, July 24 at Pippingford Manor in East Sussex to raise money for the same cause.

The exact cause of GBS is unknown but it is thought to be triggered by an infection which causes the immune system to attack nerve roots.

Symptoms usually develop two to four weeks after a minor infection and start in the feet and hands before spreading to the arms and legs.

To donate, visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/phil-kat-2016.