One year ago today Kingsley Richards' life changed beyond all recognition when he contracted a rare nerve syndrome that left him in intensive care for almost eight months.

Rushed to hospital, the popular St Keverne man was left entirely paralysed except for eye movement and was on complete life support.

He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare but serious autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks healthy nerve cells that can lead to weakness, numbness and tingling, and can eventually cause paralysis.

Now recovering at Marie Therese House in Hayle, Kingsley still doesn’t have the use of his legs and is in a wheelchair for the foreseeable future.

His family and friends are now fundraising - and while he would like to give something back to the staff at the Royal Cornwall Hospital's ICU and Marie Therese House, they would like him to also use some of the money to pay for intensive physiotherapy at home, to give him the best chance of recovery.

As part of this, Sophie Tresidder has organised a coffee morning, Kakes for Kings, at the Three Tuns pub in St Keverne this Saturday.

This will be held from 10am until 2pm and include a guess the weight of the cake competition to win a "chocoholics cake" from Kellie's Kakes, along with a large raffle. Prizes include a signed Exeter Chiefs shirt, showstopping cake from Dawn's Edible Elegance, bouquet from Fuller Blooms and an acrylic glass photo of Coverack at Christmas, along with various vouchers and gift sets donated by local businesses.

Anyone unable to make the event but would still like to buy tickets can message the Kakes for Kings Facebook page.

There is also an online fundraising page at gofundme.com/f/pjy6y4-pompeii-or-bust, where money has also been raised by a Pompeii or Bust banger rally team led by Kingsley's son-in-law Nick Palumbo.

Sophie said: "Throughout this entire ordeal, our Kings has remained optimistic and continues to work hard during his sessions, desperate to get that movement back.

"At a meeting this week, Kings and his family were informed that his recovery will still be a very slow, long process. He is due to come home in six to eight weeks, but this isn't set in stone, so our fundraising, in a combined effort with his family, will be spent how Kings sees fit.

"Originally, he just wanted to give back to the amazing staff at Treliske ICU and Marie Therese House by way of equipment. "However, in light of this news, we feel that we would like him to also use it to enable him to have some intensive physio at home, to ensure he is able to continue with all the exercises needed to put him in the best stead for recovery.

"He's not giving up, it's just a hurdle, so please help by rallying around him and supporting our fundraiser."