FRIENDS and family of a 20-year-old Darwen man critically injured in a quad biking accident in Greece have appealed for immediate help to bring him home.

Mason Ralph, of Marsh House Lane, was in Malia on the island of Crete with five friends when the horrific crash happened earlier this month.

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Doctors told his family to prepare for the worst as Mason lay in a coma, but despite having three fractured vertebrae, a punctured lung, possible brain damage and liver damage the fighter has proven them wrong.

Now the talented footballer is awake in Venizelio General Hospital of Heraklion and is slowly recovering after being taken out of intensive care.

Mason’s friend Pietro Capitelli set up a fundraising page to help raise cash to help towards Mason’s medical expenses and return home.

It has now hit its £1,500 target — although his family said they need up £20,000 to get Mason back in an air ambulance because his insurance company won’t pay out.

Mason’s dad, Simon, said: “I need £20,000 up front to pay for the air ambulance. It would be a loan as the fundraising will raise that in weeks.”

Several fundraising events are set to be held in the near future, although Simon and the rest of Mason’s family hope somebody can step forward and loan the cash in the meantime.

From noon on Saturday, August 22, a fundraising event will be held at the Cemetery Pub in Darwen.

The day before, at 7pm, a charity football match against AFC Darwen is being arranged at the Anchor Ground. All of Mason’s close friends are set to play.

Pietro said: “[Mason]’s out of the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) which is pretty unbelievable to be honest.

“We were told there and then he probably would not make it and now he is awake. He has been talking to friends about football, about Raheem Sterling’s move and stuff.

“Mason did have insurance but it didn’t allow him to go quad biking.”

To donate, visit crowdfunding.justgiving.com/pietro-capitelli or www.gofundme.com/zky8dg.