Sebastian Goold from Wansford, near Peterborough, was travelling with team mates from Stamford Rugby Club from a mini-rugby tournament at Holt, north Norfolk, at 3.45pm on Sunday, when he fell from an exit door on the coach, sustaining serious injuries.

Police said he remains in a critical condition at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

In a statement today his parents, Nick and Tracey Goold, said: 'We would like to pass on our gratitude and thanks to friends and associates at Stamford Rugby Club, and to the wider rugby family, for their well wishes and prayers at what is a deeply distressing time.

'We have received further messages of support from lots of other people, wishing Sebastian well, and these too have been gratefully received.

'However our focus, at this time, remains on keeping a vigil at Sebastian's bedside and we ask that we are left alone to deal with this as a family and that the media accepts this as our only, but sincerest, statement on the matter.'

The police investigation continues with an examination of the coach due to commence today.

Officers believe the door opened as Sebastian was queuing to use the toilet.

The coach involved is owned by tour company Hamiltons, which is based in Kettering, Northants. A spokesman for Hamiltons said: 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and we are giving the relevant authorities our full co-operation.'

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact the Serious Collision Investigation Team at Norfolk Police on 101.