A PAINTER who is friends with the Greenock firefighter left paralysed after tackling a deliberate blaze is using her talents to boost his rehabilitation appeal.

Susan Stratton from Gourock decided to do her bit for the Andy Adams Rehabilitation Fund by offering to draw portraits of families, pets or people’s favourite pop stars in return for a £20 donation to the fund.

Andrew, 49, who is known as Andy, was a watch commander at Greenock when the former Larkfield Masonic Association Club was torched last August and a wall collapsed on top of him.

He is still being treated at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, but the father of two’s injuries have brought his operational firefighting career to an end because he can no longer walk and has no feeling below his chest.

Now Susan, who is friends with both Andy and his partner Claire Linning, wants to help by raising money for his rehabilitation fund.

She said: “I’m just doing my bit like everyone else.

“I think it’s fantastic how the community has pulled together.

“It’s the least that the community can do because firefighters put their lives on the line every day.”

The 50-year-old, who enjoys art as a hobby, hopes her efforts will raise more awareness of the rehabilitation fund and make people aware of the bravery of Andy and all the other firefighters who risk their lives to keep the public safe day in, day out.

She said: “When I found out what happened, I was so shocked, just the same as how everyone else felt.

“You just don’t expect that to happen when you go out to work.

“Obviously it’s a difficult job that the firefighters do.

“I don’t think people appreciate the dangers they face every day.”

Susan has set up a special Facebook page called ‘Art for Andrew’ and anyone who would like to email her directly can do so on susan.artforandrew@gmail.com