Danny Hodgson: Punched footballer undergoes skull surgery

A footballer who suffered serious brain injuries in an unprovoked attack has undergone surgery to have his skull reattached.

Danny Hodgson, originally from Cleator Moor in Cumbria, was left in a coma following the one-punch assault in Perth, Australia, in September.

The 26-year-old had the operation at the Sir Charles Gaidner Hospital in Perth on Tuesday.

His mum Nicola posted on Facebook that the procedure had "gone well".

She wrote: "That's Danny back from surgery and back in HDU [high dependency unit].

"Thank you everyone for your love and support the surgery seems to have gone well.

"Thank you to Professor Stephen Honeybul and his neurosurgeon team for putting Danny back together, you are truly miracle workers.

"The staff here are amazing he is being well looked after."

Following the attack on 5 September, Mr Hodgson - who played for Western Australian side ECU Joondalup - was treated for a bleed on the brain and a fractured skull.

He spent weeks in the intensive care unit at Royal Perth Hospital, before being moved to a rehabilitation hospital.

In the immediate aftermath of the assault he had an emergency craniectomy (part of his skull removed) and the latest surgery was to reinstate the bone.

His parents, Nicola and Peter, described it as "the next major challenge in his recovery" and "not without risk".

The family has been in Perth for weeks and were able to spend Christmas together with Mr Hodgson.

A 17-year-old boy is due to be sentenced later this month for causing grievous bodily harm.

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