Danny Hodgson: Parents of footballer in coma make bedside visit

Danny Hodgson (centre) plays for Australian side ECU Joondalup

The parents of a footballer left in a coma after an unprovoked assault have been allowed to visit him in hospital.

Danny Hodgson, 25, who plays for ECU Joondalup in Australia, suffered a brain bleed in Perth last week.

Nicola and Peter Hodgson, from Cleator Moor, Cumbria, were granted a visit on compassionate grounds on Saturday amid tight Covid restrictions.

They said they were "eternally grateful" to those who had made the visit possible.

Mr Hodgson is being treated in the ICU department of the Royal Perth Hospital.

He was attacked outside Perth railway station in the early hours of 5 September, police said.

Mr Hodgson's family have released a photograph showing him in his hospital bed

Covid restrictions meant Mr Hodgson's parents were not allowed to touch him and had to remain 5ft (1.5m) away during their 30-minute visit.

Mrs Hodgson described not being able to cuddle her son as "the hardest thing I have ever had to do".

Her husband thanked the Western Australian government and hospital staff for making their visit possible.

He added: "It was absolutely amazing and gave us a real boost. It was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for us. We will remember it forever."

Pipers paid tribute to the footballer by playing a number of songs

Two Scottish pipe bands who are staying nearby played Waltzing Matilda, Amazing Grace and Danny Boy in tribute to the footballer.

They were joined by some of his ECU Joondalup team-mates.

A fundraising page for the footballer has raised more than A$121,000 (£64,000).