£10,000 gift to paralysed player

The family say they are desperate to get Mr Davies home

A rugby player paralysed during a game has been given £10,000 by his former bosses to get him home for Christmas.

Bryan Davies, 50, known as Yogi, worked as a welder with Ifor Williams Trailers in Gwynedd before his accident in May last year.

Since then family and friends have been fundraising to pay for adaptations so he can get back to his wife Sue and their two children at their Bala home.

His former boss, John Williams, said Mr Davies was an "inspiration".

Mr Davies broke his neck whilst playing hooker for his hometown in a match against Nant Conwy in May last year.

We felt it was therefore wholly appropriate that Bryan should be one of the recipients of our 50th anniversary donations John Williams, Ifor Williams Trailers

For most of the time since then he has been at the Spinal Injuries Centre at Southport and Formby General Hospital on Merseyside.

The £10,000 donation to the appeal to get him home is part of a total of £50,000 which Ifor Williams Trailers are donating to good causes as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations.

Managing director John Williams said: "The courage shown by Bryan since the accident is remarkable.

"His positive attitude and humour in the face of such adversity is an inspiration to us all."

Mr Williams said Mr Davies gave the company "12 years of loyal service" and was held in high regard by everyone he worked with.

"We felt it was therefore wholly appropriate that Bryan should be one of the recipients of our 50th anniversary donations," he said.

'Out of the blue'

Mr Davies said he never knew he had so many friends.

"There are still 10 to 15 people that come to see me every week and that doesn't include family," he said.

His wife, Sue, said the family were very grateful for the £10,000 donation which came "out of the blue".

"At the end of the day if it wasn't for people like them and everyone who's sponsored different activities and so on, it wouldn't be possible for us to adapt the house like we have," she said.

The hope is that Mr Davies will be able to move back home in the next few months.

Because he is a tetraplegic, and can only breathe with the help of a ventilator, Mr Davies will need a team of round-the-clock carers.

Work on the house is nearly completed, but the carers have yet to be appointed and trained.