ONE of the Premier League’s rising stars Ollie Watkins has reached into his pocket to help out an injured Wellington footballer.

Young midfielder Harry Walford suffered a serious injury playing for Wellington in their Toolstation League match away to Hallen earlier this month.

Walford was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, where it was found that he had suffered a broken leg.

A crowdfunding page was set up in the hope that friends and family could chip in to help cover Walford’s loss of earnings as he will be in a cast for at least eight weeks, and it is uncertain when he will be able to return to work. Walford was a part of Exeter City’s Academy, and it is another former Grecian who has come to his aid at this time of need.

Watkins departed Exeter for Brentford in 2017 and this summer he moved to Aston Villa for a club record fee of £28m.

The 24-year-old recently netted three times as Villa hammered Premier League champions Liverpool 7-2. Not that Torquay-born Watkins has forgotten his roots in the South West as he donated £500 to Walford’s crowdfunding page with the message “Sorry to hear mate. Get well soon.”