A supermarket is celebrating its 10th anniversary by raising funds for a paralysed former soldier from Carlisle.

Annan’s Tesco store is marking its big birthday by hosting a community fundraising party this weekend.

Staff will be handing out party treats, raffling off a birthday cake and hosting a karaoke sing-along today.

The weekend of celebrations will end with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with local school children on Monday at 9am, marked by the sounds of a bagpipe player.

All funds raised this weekend will go towards supporting Matty Thicke, the son of Tesco Annan’s checkout manager, Andrea.

Matty, from Stanwix, is a former soldier who served in Afghanistan and since 2013 has worked at Carlisle’s Pirelli factory.

In July this year Matty was walking near Carlisle with his wife, their young sons Daniel and Jack, two family friends and their two daughters.

Matty, 32, fell while swinging from a tree branch and landed on his head, fracturing the C6 vertebra in his neck.

He was rushed to hospital in Newcastle for an operation and since then has been receiving treatment at Middlesbrough’s James Cook Hospital, which specialises in spinal injuries.

The accident has paralysed Matt from the chest down.

He and his family are taking his recovery carefully, while not ruling out the possibility that he might one day walk again.

Family friends have organised a campaign to help fund treatment which could help Matty, such as functional electrical stimulation and hydrotherapy.

Tracy Clifford, store manager at Tesco Annan, said: “The team are very much looking forward to celebrating Tesco Annan’s 10th birthday with members of the local community.

“We have 30 members of staff who have worked here since the store opened.

“Tesco is also marking its centenary year in 2019, so there’s lots to celebrate. I’m delighted that we are able to support our extended Tesco family by raising funds for Matty Thicke, who is currently recovering from a terrible injury.

“I hope that locals and customers will come along to take part in the celebrations and make a donation to this very worthy cause.”

The store is open from 7am until 10pm today and on Monday.

Celebrations will begin at 9am.

To donate to the fundraising page for Matty, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/charlotte-mcneil

So far more than £6,500 has been raised.

Matty’s father Paul said about his son: “He considers himself very fortunate. He says it could have been so much worse. He’s like that.”