Ref. 26009-19A month ago Nigel Fulcher was fighting for his life after an assault. Now he is on the road to recovery and looking forward to playing with his son again

NIGEL Fulcher is amazed he is still alive following an attack in Swindon town centre which left him with life threatening head injuries.

Nigel, a 36-year-old father-of-one, was walking in The Parade when he was assaulted.

He is now recovering in the Great Western Hospital, where he spoke to the Evening Advertiser.

The Honda worker, of Ravenglass Road, Westlea, had just left the Savoy pub in Regent Street and was heading towards the bus terminus off Fleming Way when the incident happened at 9.30pm on July 3.

He was left with an 8in cut to his head, a blood clot on the left side of his brain, and a severely swollen face.

After initial treatment at GWH, Nigel was rushed to the specialist neurological unit at Oxford's John Radcliffe Infirmary.

Surgeons used keyhole surgery to drain the blood clot and he spent five days in intensive care.

The clot put pressure on the area of the brain which controls speech and Nigel has difficulty talking.

He is having speech therapy, but has been told that he will always have problems speaking when he is tired.

He is now waiting to move into a rehabilitation unit in Swindon.

Nigel firmly believes there is one reason why he managed to pull through his ordeal the thought of seeing his six-year-old son Ryan.

Speaking with the help of his father, Graham, 56, he said: "The first thing I thought of was Ryan.

"Once he came and saw me in hospital, I just knew I would be all right. I had to pull through for him.

"The doctors told me how lucky I had been, and I realise now that I could have died.

"I just want to be happy again. I want to get on with my life and be able to do the things I love, like playing with my son."

Ryan lives with Nigel's estranged wife, Belinda, 36, in Toothill.

Nigel and Ryan are huge Manchester United fans and Nigel is looking forward to taking his son to watch them play.

Nigel's father, who lives in Plymouth, is a merchant seaman and he was in the Caribbean when he was told about the attack.

He said: "The captain told me that my partner had been on the phone and that Nigel had been seriously injured.

"I flew home immediately. I was trying not to think about what might have happened.

"I just knew I couldn't go to pieces and I had to be strong for the family.

"When I saw Nigel I could hardly recognise him because his face was so swollen.

"It was all very tearful. I am very close to my son.

"Nigel is not in pain anymore, and he feels like he could go back to work, but he can't communicate very well because of his speech and gets confused."

Nigel grew up in Manchester and was a talented footballer who dreamed of becoming a professional player. He had a trial with Wigan Athletic but was forced to abandon his plans when he broke his foot.

He has lived in Swindon for the past 17 years.

A 19-year-old homeless man has been charged in connection with the attack. Michael Knight appeared at Swindon Crown Court on July 14 charged with causing grievous bodily harm.

He was remanded in custody until September 5.