Nearly £3,000 raised for Bognor Regis photographer who lost the use of his fingers

Bognor Regis residents might be familiar with Wayne Nuttall from his ten years with Southern Rail and, more recently, his drone-shot videos depicting countryside walks around Sussex.

They may not know he has spent the last year in and out of hospital for Raynaud’s disease, a circulatory condition which has ‘mummified’ the tips of his fingers on both hands.

Recently, the station guard and drone pilot underwent surgery to have three finger tips on his left hand amputated.

The same surgery could also be performed on his right hand, leaving him severely disabled.

Even if doctors find an alternative method of pain relief, living with Raynaud’s has made it incredibly difficult to continue operating his drone and taking photographs.

“It’s scary, at 53. Buying my first drone felt like buying a Porsche and now I’m not sure I’ll be able to use it,” he said.

To help get him the support he needs, including access to prosthetics, Bognor Regis photographer Alan Barber has started a fundraiser.

It’s proven to be a great success, raising more than £2,500 despite an initial goal of just £1,000. The money was presented to him outside the railway station on Saturday, March 12, in an event featuring well-wishers and heralded by the town crier.

Mr Nuttall said he was enormously moved by the gesture

“It was an immense surprise,” he said. “I’m normally on top of things, but where I’ve been in so much pain, I haven’t been on social media as much, so I must have missed the fundraiser.”

Find out more about the fundraiser here. Read more

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