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£40,000 raised for stuntman injured on 'Fast & Furious 9'

Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel in <i>Fast & Furious 8</i>. (Universal Pictures)
Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel in Fast & Furious 8. (Universal Pictures)

A fundraising campaign in aid of injured Fast & Furious 9 stuntman Joe Watts has smashed its target in just one week.

Watts suffered a serious head injury in July after a sequence involving a jump from a balcony attached to a safety wire went wrong.

Now a GoFundMe page set up to raise funds to help his rehabilitation has already accumulated more than £43,600 – way past the initial target of £30k set just a week ago.

Watts was placed in an induced coma following his severe head injury and woke up suffering memory loss and brain trauma.

Read more: Jordana Brewster confirmed for F&F 9

He has undergone six weeks of intense rehabilitation at a brain trauma specialist centre and has undergone surgery to reset his jaw.

The funds are set to go towards transportation, exercise equipment, sports massage and other treatments to aid further recovery, as well as offering support while he is unable to earn a living.

His fiancée Tilly Powell shared a picture with Watts in October captioned: “In the blink of an eye, everything can change. Make everyday count, appreciate every moment and love with all your heart. You may never know when you may not have that chance again.”

Watts was airlifted to hospital after being injured at Leavesden Studios, near Watford, on the set of the latest installment in the Unversal franchise starring Vinn Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ludacris, and new recruit John Cena.

Read more: Dwayne Johnson thanks Vin Diesel, teases Fast & Furious return

A health and safety investigation was launched following Watts’ fall.

An in-demand performer, Watts has appeared in high profile movies including Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Jurassic World - Fallen Kingdom, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Kingsman: The Golden Circle, in which he was Mark Strong's stunt double.