'Miracle' boy shot in head is called a superhero

Despite finding walking "quite hard", Harry Studley has been training for the fundraising event

A nine-year-old boy who was given a 1% chance of survival after being shot in the head as a toddler is preparing to take part in a 3.1 mile (5km) walk to raise money for the hospital that saved him.

Harry, from Bristol, is taking part in the Grand Walk for Grand Appeal later this month. He will be accompanied by his father, Edward.

The family have already raised more than £600 for the Bristol Children's Hospital charity and garnered international support.

“What I want people to take from Harry’s story is that there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel," said Harry's dad, Edward Studley.

On 1 July 2016, Harry was shot at the tower block he lived in with his parents and older brother.

On the day of the incident, Harry's mother had taken him down to the second floor of the flat, where the family's friends, Jordan Walters and Emma Horseman, lived with their two children.

In an attempt to stop Harry from crying, Walters fired what he thought was an unloaded air rifle at him.

Walters was jailed for two years while Ms Horseman was found not guilty of grievous bodily harm, following a trial at Bristol Crown Court in 2017.

Mr Studley said it was like "having a newborn baby again" as they had to reteach everything to Harry after the incident

'Little superhero'

Harry was left partially blind, with epilepsy and weakness in the left side of his body.

He is also "a few years behind" in development as a result of the cognitive damage caused by the bullet.

It is still lodged in his brain, with medical professionals unable to remove it due to it being too risky.

"Harry is fully aware of what happened and what it’s done to him," Mr Studley said.

"He takes it all in his stride - he’s a little superhero."

He added that it is a "miracle" that Harry is doing so well after having been given such a low chance of survival.

Harry and his dad hope to raise £1,000 for the Bluebell Ward at Bristol Children's Hospital

Mr Studley said he felt "immensely proud" of Harry, who had raised more than £600 so far, with all money raised going to the Bluebell Ward.

"Without them Harry wouldn't be here," Mr Studley said.

"They felt like family for us on that ward we lived there for four months and that's where Harry made such good progress and a recovery.

"They were there for us when we needed them."

'A wonderful boy'

Helen Haskell, head of corporate fundraising at Grand Appeal, said it was "wonderful" to see Harry and his dad again.

"[Harry] is a wonderful boy, so full of energy and we can't wait for him to take on the 5k," Ms Haskell said.

More than 300 people will take part in the Grand Walk at Ashton Court Estate on Sunday.