Emma Galloway has failed to hand over more than £2,000 raised to help crash victim Christopher Wakefield

by Lynn Cox

A young single mother who organised a sponsored walk to raise money for her paralysed friend has failed to hand over more than £2,000 it raised.

Emma Galloway set up the walk after Christopher Wakefield was seriously hurt in a motorbike crash in October.

The 22-year-old, from Rainham, told at the time how the 12-hour event raised about £2,000 through sponsorship and another £300 in collection buckets.

But it has now emerged that Christopher has never received the money and Kent Police have launched an investigation.

One of his relatives, who did not want to be named, said: "She set up a Facebook page about raising the money, but four months after the event she was asked where the money was. She never replied and closed the page down.

"We also found out that on her own Facebook page she was bragging about spending £2,000 on her daughter at Christmas and that she's got a quad bike."

However, Emma (pictured right on the charity walk, is said to have later deleted the comments.

The family member added: "It's disgusting. She's dipped into funds and has kept on dipping in until it's all gone. Now she can't pay it."

A Kent Police spokesman confirmed officers are investigating, but said no arrests have been made.

Christopher, 20, who is from the Vineries estate in Gillingham, was left paralysed after a freak accident.

He was on his way home from work on October 27 when he hit a kerb after going over a speed bump.

He was thrown from his bike into a wall and hit his head against a lamppost.

Christopher spent months in hospital and was paralysed from the waist down.

In November, his friends - led by Emma - vowed to raise money for the things he would need when he came home.

On November 10, 27 people set off on the 30-mile sponsored walk, starting from where the accident happened.

Emma said at the time: "I've known Christopher all his life as we grew up together on the Vineries estate.

"He is one of the good guys, one of the lads, and works hard. We hope by doing the sponsored walk we can raise enough money for all the crucial things he will need to make his life easier when he returns home."

Christopher Wakefield was seriously injured in a bike crash

Since the disappearance of the money came to light, a relative of Emma's has recently handed over £450 to Christopher's family.

Welder Mr Wakefield spent months in Stoke Mandeville Hospital after the accident.

One of the vertebrae in his spine was shattered and the injury pinched his spinal cord.

His relative said: "He came home permanently last week and needs things at home – handrails, a shower room built downstairs and a ramp. That money could have helped with those things.

"He had already had to deal with this huge trauma in his life and now he's been betrayed by someone he thought was a close friend.

"She's kicked him while he was already down, he didn't think she would do such a thing, he’s been left really upset."

Extensive efforts to contact Emma Galloway were unsuccessful.