A teenager has returned to school exactly four months after he suffered serious head injuries when his bike hit a car.

Jordan Dowen, 15, was cycling to school when the crash occurred just before Christmas.

He was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge and was in a coma over the festive period.

His parents, Sherridan and Joanne Dowen spent most of the holidays at their son's bedside.

He finally returned to his Hunstanton home after nearly five weeks in hospital.

Yesterday, he returned to Smithdon High School in Hunstanton, although he will initially just be studying one lesson per day.

He said: 'I was glad to be back. I was nervous beforehand, but it just felt natural. It was like normal school, really.'

He later visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn for hydrotherapy treatment.

His mother said: 'It was four months exactly from the day of the accident that he returned to school.

'Jordan's gradual reintegration back into school will consist of just one hour-long lesson per day to begin with. His first lesson was music and he says it felt good to be back.'

The teenager hopes to be able to attempt to take his GCSEs this year although his mother said they were aware his memory, distractibility and concentration levels had been affected by his brain injury, which would impact on his exam results.

Mrs Dowen said her son still had numbness around his girdle and pain/sensation changes in his right leg and feet, which affected his balance and co-ordination. He continues to work on this through physiotherapy.

She added: 'Jordan will continue to face challenges due to the hidden disabilities caused by his brain injuries.'

The teenager was cycling to school, at about 8.45am on the last day of school before the Christmas break, when he was in a collision with a car.

A Norfolk police spokesman said: 'The collision has been investigated and a decision made not to prosecute the driver for motoring offences or the cyclist for careless riding.'

?Have you returned to work/ school after a long absence? Email david.bale2@archant.co.uk