A horror car crash survivor from Wirral has achieved his dream of opening an aquatic shop after spending 6 years in a wheelchair thinking he’d never walk again. Stephen Halsey, 38, has opened Wirral Aquatics in Moreton and says business is booming since pursuing his childhood dream.
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Based on Upton Road near Moreton Cross, Wirral Aquatics opened in September 2024 and features over 100 tanks of tropical fish for sale — with the aim of supporting UK breeders and giving them a platform. What started out as a hobby for Stephen has turned into a fully fledged business and his new shop has already developed a fantastic reputation amongst tropical fish enthusiasts.
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Until now, the idea of Wirral Aquatics was purely a pipe dream for the father of two, following a horror car crash in 2016. The shocking crash caused him to lose sensation from his left hip down, with severe PTSD, and he was unsure if he’d ever walk again— what followed this was a miraculous odds-defying journey of grit and determination.
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It took a while for Stephen to adapt to his new restrictive way of life but sought help from his wife, a trained physio, and his mother-in-law, an occupational therapist. Determined to walk again, he attempted to build back the muscle mass through exercises and a ‘hop and drag’ technique to re-train his muscle memory. After 7 years of sustained effort, he was finally able to walk again.
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Stephen said: “My love of fish started at an early age, as my father used to take me to different fish shops on Saturdays. I always had a tank growing up. Fish have always had a calming effect on me and have improved my mental health. This proved critical during my rehabilitation process following the crash which hugely helped with my PTSD and depression.”
He continued: “After being told I’d probably never walk again, I made it my mission to prove the doctors wrong. My wife, her mother, friends, family and the NHS were all amazing and despite the PTSD and night terrors, I exercised every day and learnt to play wheelchair rugby — managing to play Internationally for Wales in the 2021 World Cup. I turned to my passion for tropical fish and during lockdown I amassed 100 tanks in our home based fish room. That project kept me going and got me through it all.”
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Since taking his first proper steps again in January 2023, Stephen has developed a new appreciation for life — doing ‘firsts’ with his family such as walking in places he only ever visited in his wheelchair. It was this new-found lust for life that prompted Stephen to pursue his childhood dream of opening his own tropical fish shop — turning his hobby at home into a business that’s become more successful than he ever imagined.
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Stephen explained: “Having your life turned upside down and being told you’ll probably never walk again, then finally defying the odds after 7 years of persistence and sustained effort — it does something to you. I’ve always worked in care and have loved my job doing that but after gaining my life back I realised you only live once and decided to take the leap of faith by opening the shop.”
He continued: “Opening Wirral Aquatics is a dream come true and the first couple of months have been overwhelmingly successful. We have a revolving range of beautiful fish and people have been travelling from far and wide as word has spread about us. We work ethically, supporting UK breeders who are also ethical. Every day is a gift and I’m so grateful for the support of our customers and the Moreton community.”
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Wirral Aquatics is based at 20 Upton Road, Moreton, and is open 6 days a week (closed Mondays) — stocking a revolving range of tropical fish, tanks, accessories and food. When visiting, be sure to say hello to Kevin the Mbu Puffer fish — Stephen’s best friend and the largest type of freshwater puffer fish of his kind, hailing from the rivers of Africa!
Wirral Aquatics / 20 Upton Road, Moreton, Wirral / 07946 659242
