Wheelchair fundraiser Peter Smorthit broke his collarbone after a pothole crash on the A520 at Cheddleton in Staffordshire.

He was travelling from Leek towards Hixon when a wheel on the trailer behind his everyday wheelchair became lodged in the road defect. The sudden stop pulled him backwards and threw him into the road.

What happened on the A520 at Cheddleton?

Smorthit told BBC Radio Stoke that his wheelchair cleared the pothole but a trailer wheel did not. Passers-by stopped to help and took him to Royal Stoke University Hospital, where the injury was treated.

The crash happened 62 days into his fundraising journey. At that point he had covered about 1,700 miles and estimated that roughly 300 miles remained.

Why Peter Smorthit was making the journey

Smorthit set out from Land's End on 29 April 2026 in an everyday, non-racing wheelchair. His campaign page describes a planned solo return journey to John O'Groats and back, covering 2,079 miles over about 70 days while pulling his supplies in a custom trailer.

He completed the one-way Land's End to John O'Groats route in 2024. The 2026 challenge was intended to extend that achievement by completing the return leg as well.

Fundraising for Canine Partners

The journey is raising money for Canine Partners, a charity that matches disabled people with trained assistance dogs. The dogs can support their partners with practical everyday tasks and help them retain independence.

Smorthit said the charity's work was the reason he wanted the challenge to continue despite the injury.

Will the charity ride continue?

At the time of the original interview, Smorthit said he still intended to finish the challenge after recovering. He had not decided whether to resume from Cheddleton or begin the route again.

This article records the position reported after the crash; readers can check Peter Smorthit's official fundraising page for later campaign updates.

The incident was first reported by BBC Stoke & Staffordshire. For advice on reporting a road defect, see our Staffordshire pothole guide.