Girl, 13, ‘will never be the same’ after being left paralysed by schoolboy who ‘dropped her on her head'

A teenager left paralysed after a schoolboy allegedly dropped her onto her head in the playground will “never be the same”, her devastated family have said.

Neeka Atkinson, 13, was left with a life-threatening brain injury after being dropped onto concrete at Archbishop Sentamu Academy in Hull earlier this month.

She was left paralysed on her left side and is currently being medically rehabilitated in Leeds.

Her older sister, Alisha Atkinson, said that Neeka is now being moved back to Hull and is making progress – but that her life will never go back to normal.

Alisha said: "Neeka is being moved back to Hull to be closer to family and to continue her rehabilitation here and go back and forth to Leeds to see a specialist.

“She’s had her staples and stitches taken out now and has a big scar, bless her, but she’s coming on every single day.

"Her left arm and leg still need a lot of time to get back to normal but she’s fighting it every single day.

“People have to remember that as everything has gone quiet, due to us focusing on Neeka’s recovery, as well as balancing our lives alongside travelling back and forth to Leeds, she will never be the same person again.”

Alisha added that Neeka, who was in a coma just two weeks ago, “has not just physically but mentally endured something that no person, never mind a young girl, should ever have to go through”.

More than £11,000 has been raised so far to fund Neeka’s recovery and any equipment and travel fees.

A teenage boy was arrested by Humberside Police and later released in connection with the incident which caused Neeka's injuries.

On Friday, under police advice, Archbishop Sentamu Academy was closed early after a protest by students against bullying.

It came after an Ofsted report revealed serious concerns about the behaviour of pupils at the school where one in five children have been suspended this year.