THE team from BBC One’s DIY SOS have descended on Avening to begin work on home alterations for Ben Wernham, after he was left paralysed from the neck down in a swimming pool accident.

Nick Knowles and his team issue a call to arms and recruit friends, family and local trades to help transform the homes of families across Britain.

This time around it is the Avening home of Ben Wernham, his partner Ella, eight-year-old step-daughter Olivia and two-year-old daughter Iris, two, which is the focus.

Ben slipped while he was playing with his two children on holiday in Cyprus last April, breaking his neck in three places.

He is now coming to terms with living life as a tetraplegic (the complete or partial loss of use of all four limbs and torso).

To move him home from hospital they will need build an extension and kit out his house with the right equipment which will enable him to live back with his family.

The team from DIY SOS, led by Nick Knowles and including an array of Stroud district businesses, have begun work on Ben’s home today (June 13) and will be busy working until Thursday, June 22.

Almost £100,000 has been raised via a fundraising page on Go Get Funding, with contributions from charity fun days, hikes and challenges via a vast array of residents and business from the area.

A statement on the fundraiser states: “Ben is now finally in Salisbury Spinal Unit, and after numerous chest infections and months on a ventilator, he is able to breathe by himself, which is major step for somebody with Ben’s level of injury.

“He’s also well enough to spend time in a specialised wheelchair most days.

“The accident has been life changing for all the family - adapting to this new life will be challenging. Ben is a young and strong man who has a real determination to get home to Ella and the girls.

“To achieve this, there is an extremely long road ahead so that the family can be together again.

“We need to raise as much money as we possibly can to create access to and extend the entire house.

“Ben will require specialist care, so there also needs to be plenty of room to accommodate a carer.

“This is a HUGE undertaking, the support from the community in Avening and the surrounding areas where Ben lives has been amazing and we hope you can be too, we need your help to BRING BEN HOME!!”

Smiths of Gloucester have donated a skip for free to help with the project and Jonathan Randall Kitchens will be installing the new kitchen for Ben’s home.

Director Jonathan Randall said: “We are down to install the kitchen cabinets this Saturday and Sunday.

“This will be my third time working with the DIY SOS team, I originally worked with the team in 2009 for a week, which was before it changed to the big build.

“Then again I helped again with a big build in Cirencester a couple of years later.

“This time, now that I have my own business, I am able to supply and install the whole kitchen.

“I live locally in Uley myself, and pleased that I am able to put something back into the community and a family in need of help.

“I am also looking forward to catching up and working with the DIY SOS team again.”

To donate to the fundraiser visit gogetfunding.com/best4ben/ or for occasional updates on the project for Ben visit the DIY SOS Twitter feed at twitter.com/DIYSOS.