GENEROUS well-wishers have poured more than £8,000 in just three weeks into a fund to ease the struggle for a Hagley grandfather who is battling a devastating illness.

Some have donated sums of up to £500 after reading the heart-rending story - first published in the Stourbridge News - of how Paul Whyley realised he had motor neurone disease while watching the award-winning film ‘The Theory of Everything’, which chapters scientist Stephen Hawking's own fight against the same condition.

Mr Whyley's sister-in-law, Glynis Palmer, of Mountain Ash Drive, Pedmore, launched a fund-raising drive to bring in cash towards buying a stair lift and other devices to make the rest of his life easier - and a fete organised on July 11 by her at Greenfield Primary School, Stourbridge, raised £2,500.

A further £5,700 has rolled in through an online donations website.

Mr Whyley's wife of 40 years, Jayne, said: "We're both speechless - overwhelmed by the response.

"We can't believe people can be so generous and kind - and there are still a few more days left on the fund-raising web page.

"People who we know have given to the fund - but also strangers who have read the story about Paul, some of them anonymous and others just putting their initials.

"We'd like to thank them all so much."

The fete has already paid for the stair lift, which has been installed and is making daily life a little easier for Mr Whyley, aged 62, and his 59-year-old wife, who live in Stourbridge Road, Hagley.

The couple are now looking into buying a motorised wheelchair, hoist and other devices that would help.

Mr Whyley told the Stourbridge News that, while watching ‘The Theory of Everything’, he mentally clicked off the symptoms of motor neurone disease and realised he had all of them.

He said nothing to his wife - but two weeks later they had the diagnosis that he was suffering the same disease that has plagued the life of the world-famous physicist.

Mr Hawking has defied all the odds to live with motor neurone disease for 50 years, which he copes with in an electric wheelchair, using a hi-tech voice machine and with an entourage of carers.

In contrast, Mr Whyley knows that his days are numbered as the disease progressively damages parts of the nervous system and leads to muscle weakness - and he faces the struggle mainly helped by his wife and whatever technical aids they can afford.

Mrs Whyley, who took voluntary redundancy from her job as practice administrator at Hagley doctors' surgery in October, has described it as a "vile, evil disease".

The couple had been looking forward to retirement.

But then Mr Whyley, whose job was supplying and installing blinds, began suffering symptoms, including a pain in his right shoulder and breathing difficulties.

He is taking medication to slow the progression of the disease but cannot now walk unaided and has to use a ventilator at home to help him breathe.

Mrs Whyley said his condition continues to deteriorate.

Donations can still be made at crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Paul-Whyley