A six-year-old boy fighting back after a terrifying playground accident left him with eight metal rods in his skull has returned to say thank you to the boxing club that organised get well messages from famous boxers.
Jake Boast, from Long Stratton, dislodged two of the vertebrae in his neck when he fell from some playground equipment at school leaving him needing to wear a special 'halo' head brace.
Long Stratton Boxing Club, after learning about the accident, rallied round to wish the youngster a speedy recovery with a big group picture and even managed to get professional boxers Ricky Hatton and Anthony Crolla to wish the youngster well.
Jake this week returned to the club to say thank you. His father Dan Boast, 31, who is a youth coach at the gym, said: 'It was his first visit back to the club since it happened and it was a nice thing for him and it did lift his spirits a little bit. It was a bit frustrating for him through because he could only look on and watch when he'd have liked to have joined in.'
Adam Gigli, a world renowned ring-side cut-man and the owner of Long Stratton Boxing Club who organised the messages, said: 'It was fantastic to see him back at the club. Everyone was very shocked when his accident happened. Organising the video messages was a way of keeping his spirits up.'
Jake is being treated at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where it was hoped his 'halo' brace might have been removed this week but will now have to remain for another three weeks.
'It will be eight or nine weeks in total,' said he dad. 'It's going OK but there is still obviously a long road ahead and there could still be potential problems on the horizon but we will have to cross those bridges when we get to them. He has his low days but he is mostly coping really well.'
The spinal surgeons treating Jake fitted a similar 'halo' brace to British Superbike champion Shane 'Shakey' Byrne who broke his neck when racing at Snetterton in May. The racer has also sent a message of support to the youngster.
Mr Boast said: 'Jake was obviously apprehensive about his halo so to be spoken to by this professional motorbike rider who had been treated by the same doctor was great. He was able to tell him it'll be OK'.'
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