Appeal for paralysed rugby player

Bryan Davies, 49, known as Yogi, was captaining his last game as hooker for Bala rugby club in Gwynedd on 21 April when he suffered the injury.

Club chairman and family friend Tony Parry said Mr Davies was still unable to feel anything from the neck down.

The appeal will be passed to all Wales' rugby clubs, with contributions accepted at all HSBC bank branches.

"Yogi at the moment cannot feel anything from the neck down," said Mr Parry.

"If someone had something impossible they wanted to do, they just asked Yogi and it would be done"
Rhys Jones, Bala Rugby Club

"He has no feeling in his arms or his legs at all.

"In addition he is unable to breathe by himself although he is taken off the machine once an hour so that his body can try to breathe by itself.

"We live in hope however that things will progress. Time will tell in the end," he said.

Rhys Jones, of Bala RFC, said they wanted to support Mr Davies and his family because of the massive contribution he had made.

"Nothing was too much trouble for him for the club," he said.

"If someone had something impossible they wanted to do, they just asked Yogi and it would be done."

Mr Davies worked especially hard with the younger members, he added, recognising they were the future of the club.

The children "idolised" him, he said, and he brought the best out in them.

Club treasurer Rhodri Jones added: "We will be contacting all the rugby clubs in Wales to ask for their support so that we can raise as much money as possible for this appeal."