SIX acclaimed artists have donated work to raise money for a teenager paralysed in an accident.

The Christmas Festival of Art is taking place in Whitby this weekend, to raise money for Dale Milne.

The 15-year-old was paralysed from the neck down last year when he dived into waves at Whitby beach. The young army cadet was unaware how shallow the water was and broke his neck.

Dale was pulled from the sea by a friend who spotted him lying motionless under the water and coast guards and an air-sea rescue helicopter then arrived at the scene. Dale has been in hospital ever since.

This weekend a Christmas Festival of Arts is taking place on Saturday, November 26 and Sunday, November 27 at Sneaton Castle in Whitby to raise money for the teenager.

The event has been organised by Whitby Art Society and Whitby Endeavour Rotary Club.

Eight paintings by nationally renowned artists have been donated. Whitby Community College, where Dale was a student, and Caedmon School have also helped with the event.

Artwork can also be won in an envelope lucky dip, where participants pay £2.50 for an envelope, while other works of art will be on sale. Some of the artists taking part include Robert Brindley and Christine Pybus.

One of the organisers, Sue Morton, said: “We hope to raise enough funds to buy a big flat screen television and a specially adapted computer. Every teenager wants a flat screen telly and hopefully giving him something he wants will help improve his quality of life.

“There’s fund-raising going on all the time for him in Whitby.

“He can’t come back home for Christmas, but someone has kindly leant his family a cottage in Whitby that is specially adapted for someone with disabilities, so he won’t have to spend it in hospital.”