GETTING around in a wheelchair can be tough, as Kingsdown School pupil Anna Ponzo found out.

The 14-year-old, of Greenbridge, spent the whole of yesterday in a wheelchair to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis (MS).

As soon as she arrived at the school gates, Anna got in the chair to find out what it would be like for a disabled student at the school.

While other students ran up and down the stairs. Anna had to manoeuvre the chair around the grounds to use ramps and doors without stairs.

"I wanted to raise awareness for disabled children to come to Kings-down and also to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society," she said.

"I just looked around and saw the stairs. I know that a couple of the parents are disabled and I wanted to know how they would get around.

"I also wanted to know what it would be like for students."

And while it had been relatively easy to get around the school, Anna said she had encountered a few difficulties.

"There have been a few problems," she said. "Getting through doors has been tricky but people have been really generous and opened doors without me having to ask.

"People have got out of my way when they've seen me coming and it's okay in crowded areas as people know I'm there."

She said that the hardest part of the school to access was D-Block, which has a step at every entrance.

Anna will be speaking to headteacher Wendy Taylor about her experiences and the disabled access around the school.

So far Anna has raised £70 for the MS Society and the money is still coming in. "I'm absolutely pleased with that," she said.

The school finished early for Easter, but that wasn't the end for Anna.

She wheeled herself home to Greenbridge and then did her paper round in the wheelchair.

"My arms aren't too tired but the skin on my fingers is starting to peel," she said.

The wheelchair was on loan from Olive, an MS sufferer Anna knows.

Within the next few weeks, Olive is going into the school to give a talk in assembly about MS and what it's like to be in a wheelchair.