Family give Benidorm update after man paralysed in 'attack'

An update has been issued on a man fighting for his life after he was placed in an induced coma while on holiday in Benidorm. Andrew Frazer, 43, from Sutton, St Helens, travelled to Benidorm for his brother Ian's birthday celebration on November 13.

But by 1am on November 14 - not even 24 hours after touching down in the popular resort - sister-in-law Claire Howard said Andrew was knocked unconscious in the street and rushed to hospital with a head injury. As the stepdad-of-two did not have travel insurance, Claire said his wound was stapled and he was sent back to his hotel without a CT scan.

The following day, his condition worsened and he was taken to another hospital, where a scan revealed a serious bleed on the brain. Claire rushed to Benidorm with her sister Carrie but she returned to Merseyside on Tuesday, November 19, while Carrie remained in Benidorm at Andrew's bedside. Andrew had to undergo an emergency craniotomy, a surgical procedure removing part of the skull to access the brain. He remains in hospital in an induced coma as he fights for his life.

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Following the tragedy a fundraiser was set up to raise funds to get Andrew back to the UK for treatment. Now his sister-in-law Claire has told the ECHO Andrew will be flying home on Wednesday or Thursday, back to Merseyside.

She said: "When he's back he'll be in the Walton Centre straight away. His friend Shaun has been in contact with the repatriation company and he's sorted all of that. He's been such a good friend."

Following the injury to Andrew, Shaun McKeegan set up a GoFundMe to help fund the repatriation of his friend. It is believed the process would cost between £25,000 and £28,000, with the fundraiser managing to raise more than £28,000 in three days.

Claire told the ECHO how Andrew is now paralysed on the right side of his body and is unable to talk as he remains in intensive care in Spain. She previously told the ECHO: "Andrew may have to go into some type of care home for rehab - he can't walk, can't talk. The fundraising is for a medical flight, which we have been quoted between £25,000 and £28,000. You worry about how you are going to do this, how you are going to get the funds.

"Andrew's mum and dad are pensioners, they don't have passports, so they're sick with worry. It's been awful. We're just trying to hold things together as a family, keep in contact with each other and carry on.

"Because Andrew is in the ICU, you're only allowed to visit for one hour and only one person is allowed in. Carrie wants to spend all her time with him, but Ian is his brother and wants to be there as well. Ian hasn't come home since it happened. He's been there constantly.

"I know it's a difficult time for everybody at the moment, but if anybody could help, no matter how big or small the donation is, I cant explain what it would mean."