Luton Town: Attacked fan Brian Rourke comes off life support

Vee Rourke said her husband, Brian, would take a long time to recover

A football fan who was attacked after a Championship football match is slowly recovering, his wife has said.

Brian Rourke, 52, a Luton Town fan, was found with a serious head injury in west London following his team's defeat to Queens Park Rangers on 19 November.

Vee Rourke said the father of four was no longer on a life support machine but would need extensive rehabilitation.

Jack Ellicott, 26, from Edgware, north London, has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm.

He is due before Isleworth Crown Court on 20 December.

Police said the attack happened in an "extremely busy" area near Loftus Road

Mrs Rourke said she was living "day by day" and had been left devastated by what had happened to her husband, who is self-employed.

'A long road'

"He is off the life support machine now; they've taken him off the ventilators, they're slowly reducing his sedation and currently reviewing his brain injuries.

"It's predominantly in his right side so we know the left side of his body isn't working as it should be.

"He is going to have to have rehabilitation to walk and talk again.

"We're going to have Brian back. It's going to be a long road but we will get there."

An online fundraising page for the family has raised more than £20,000.

Mrs Rourke said due to his treatment, she had only been able to see her husband in person once, but regularly made contact via video links.

"It's really difficult not to be able to hold his hand," she said.