A Stockport lad’s harrowing barbecue accident which left him temporarily unable to walk and in need of a skin graft has been the catalyst for the launch of an inspiring fundraising campaign.
During a family day out at Formby Beach last June, 9-year-old Will Tyler accidentally stepped on hot sand where a beach barbecue had previously been sat, causing severe scarring to both his feet and leaving him needing urgent medical treatment.
The Tyler family left their home in The Heatons on 1 June 2020, and headed to the popular Merseyside beach to join friends.
Having purposefully hiked across the sand dunes at Formby to keep away from the crowds, they set up a disposable barbecue to enjoy some sausage sandwiches, and then once the barbecue had cooled, moved it far away from the children to one side, so the youngsters could run around and play.
“Everyone I’ve told this story to just cannot believe how sand can stay that hot,” explained Will’s dad Toby, aged 51.
“We’d used one of those disposable barbecues where the coals are in a foil tray.
“The bottom of the tray was on the sand – which I now know meant the heat was being sent down into the sand and the foil surface was trapping it there – [and] when we moved the barbecue, the top of the sand cooled in the atmosphere, but underneath it was still roasting hot as the heat had just been trapped there.
“We learned later it can stay dangerously hot for hours and hours.”
The incident caused severe scarring to both of Will Tyler’s his feet / Credit: Tyler Family / RMCHC
He continued: “The kids were running around playing when suddenly Will just screamed [and] as a parent, it’s the worst sound I’d ever heard and it’s a sound I’ll never forget. He pulled his foot out of the sand and his skin was peeling off his foot like melted wax. We realised the sand was scalding hot and we were miles from anywhere with no first aid kit or anyone to help us.
“I ran carrying him to the car [and] by the time I got there, I was soaking wet with sweat. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it, but seeing Will’s foot… I guess the adrenaline just kicked in.”
Will’s mum Claire drove to a nearby hospital about 30 minutes away from the beach, before he was taken to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital to spend eight nights.
“He had to have a skin graft from his right thigh to his left foot,” said Toby. “He was on morphine for the pain but I know there were some days, especially when they had to change his dressings, that were particularly bad for him”.
From there, it’s been a slow recovery process – and one that is still ongoing.
Toby continued: “As he’s still growing, we’re not sure if there will be operations in future, but for now, he is recovering well and he’s lucky that he has some close friends that have been really great at supporting him – and of course we have to thank the team at the hospital’s Burns and Plastics Aftercare Clinic.
There’s no denying that the tragic events of that day are forever etched in the memory of the Tyler family, but thanks to the expert care it’s one that’s inspired young Will to raise as much money as possible for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Will is aiming to complete eight fundraising challenges for RMCH Burns Unit / Credit: Tyler Family / RMCHC
Yesterday, on the one-year anniversary of his accident, Will began eight fundraising challenges – which vary from an 8km walk and an 8km paddle in the Mersey River, to eight random acts of kindness, eight nights sleeping out, and even getting eight friends to shave their heads in eight minutes – and revisited Formby Beach to raise awareness of the dangers of barbecues on sand.
All the money he raises will go to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity and will help other young burns patients just like Will.
“I wanted to do some fundraising themed around the number eight because that’s how many nights I was in the children’s hospital,” Will explained.
“We originally wanted to raise £888 but even before the challenges were nailed down, we’d already smashed that target, so now we’re having a rethink of how much we would like to raise.
“As well as raising the money, I really want to raise awareness of how dangerous it is having a barbecue on the sand.
“We didn’t know how hot the sand would get, or that it would stay hot for such a long time.”
“Everyone I’ve told this story to just cannot believe how sand can stay that hot” / Credit: Tyler Family / RMCHC
Jo Thomas – who is the Community Fundraising Officer at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity, and has been supporting the family with their fundraising – added: “Will is such an inspiring young man and his enthusiasm for his fundraising is incredible.
“He really has thrown all his energy into preparing for his challenges and everyone at the Charity can’t wait to hear how they all go.
“I’m particularly looking forward to the head shave pictures.
“We want to thank Will and all his family and friends for not only fundraising a fantastic amount of money, but also raising awareness of such an important issue.”
Keen to sponsor Will?
You can find more information about Will’s mission via his Facebook page ‘8 Days in June’ here, and you can also contribute to helping him reach his fundraising target by making a donation to his GoFundMe page.
Featured Image – Tyler Family / RMCHC
UK News
Flashbacks: The timelapse of the Trafford Centre construction that’s gone viral
Danny Jones
The Trafford Centre might look like some decadent Roman emperor’s palace or as if it was plucked from the heart of Ancient Grecian city, but as anyone old enough to remember it’s opening and/or construction will tell you, it seems strange to think its not even been around for three decades yet.
As Greater Manchester’s and one of the North West’s most famous shopping centres full stop, the iconic attraction first began being built back in 1996, when John Major was Prime Minister, Manchester United were still Premier League champions, Britpop was at its peak and George Michael was number one.
It’s fair to say that a lot has changed since then and although Oasis might be back come 2025, The Trafford Centre and surrounding area are pretty unrecgonisable compared to nearly 30 years ago.
All told, it took approximately 27 months to erect the neo-classical epicentre of all things shopping, leisure, food and fanciness – and here’s what the process looked like:
With the initial 14 million sq ft shopping centre being completed in September 1998 following approximately 810 days of work, The Trafford Centre debuted to the Manc public and beyond.
It took more than 3,000 builders to bring the 60 hectare site to life at the peak of construction and since then the plot has only grown bigger, bolder and more ambitious over time.
Present day, it has everything from cinema screens and a mini Legoland to a Sea Life location, multiple bowling alleys and countless other forms of entertainment beyond just rows of shops and restaurants – hence why it remains busy pretty much year-round.
Back then, British celebrities, popular local names of note, politicians, dignitaries and prominent figures from the retail industry got to visit as part of exclusive preview events in the days before its launch date.
You can see the spectacle and fascination surrounding the official opening event here:
Seems surreal watching this today but the construction of the Trafford Centre was a huge moment not just for 0161 but all of the North.
But of course, the entire complex itself has seen multiple extensions over the years, including massive developments such as Barton Square and The Great Hall.
At the outset, it cost more than £600 million to build The Trafford Centre; the major renovations mentioned above which took place in 2008 cost another £100m and the Trafford Palazzo revamp around a decade later came in at around £75m.
There has and always will be lots of money put behind this intruguing monument to modern consumerism, and big brands will continue to flock to open units within the huge expanse whenever they can: some of the most recent being Archie’s, Flying Tiger, Sephora, Tiffany, Gymshark and more.
We’ll admit the aesthetic still makes us double-take from time to time (though not as much as confused Londoners visiting for the first time), but it’s not like this part of the world hasn’t boasted plenty of other curiosities in the past…
Featured Images — Charles Bowring (via Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group
UK News
You can win a free hotel stay for you and a friend as part of Random Acts of Kindness Day
Danny Jones
Fancy doing a loved one a solid and scoring them such much-needed rest and relaxation this month courtesy of a free hotel stay? You’re a kind soul, of course you do.
To help celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day this year, Travelodge are giving away a handful of free hotel stays at locations up and down the UK as a way of letting friends, colleagues and just all-around good eggs know that they’re top bananas.
Now that’s the kind of unconditional positivity we can get behind.
So, if you know someone who could really benefit from a fresh hotel bed, a ridiculously long shower and a lovely British mini-break this year, keep reading.
If you’re wondering how it all works, it’s quite simple – to enter the prize draw and nominate a bestie or beloved, you simply have to tag them in the Instagram reel above.
Alternatively, you can @ them in the comments on Travelodge’s Facebook or nominate them HERE, and make sure you give lots of lovely reasons as to why they deserve it, of course.
But wait for it, here’s the best bit: if they happen to be selected YOU get to win a free hotel stay too. Happy days times two!
Good friends = good prizes on Random Acts of Kindness Day 2025.
And that really is about as complicated as it gets; the lucky winners must book their stay at a Travelodge hotel within a month of winning the prize and enjoy the room within the next 12 months but, other that that, it’s all pretty straightforward and lovely.
If you love it around so much you have no interest in leaving, there of course multiple Greater Manchester locations (Credit: Travelodge)
One last thing, you must enter by before 11.59pm tonight (Monday, 17 Feb) in order to be eligible and all valid entries will then be selected via a random draw by 27 February 2024.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd June 2021 
