FOR almost three weeks Christopher Hirst has been in a coma as his family keep watch helplessly.

He has never regained consciousness since receiving a single blow to the head as he stood outside a Hampshire pub.

The 24-year-old had been out celebrating his birthday with his girlfriend and a number of friends when the unprovoked attack took place.

Christopher, who was preparing to launch his own business, was outside Butler's Bar and Grill in Fordingbridge with a friend.

He had gone outside to try and calm some tensions that were building between a group of people he did not know.

Minutes later, unable to see who was responsible, he was punched once in the back of his head.

The blow knocked him to the ground where his head smashed onto the pavement.

Police and paramedics raced to the scene where they treated Christopher before he was rushed to Salisbury District Hospital. There his condition dramatically deteriorated.

Today, having been moved to a specialist unit in the Wessex Neurological Centre at Southampton General Hospital, he remains on a life support machine.

His father Ray Hirst said their lives had been torn apart by the senseless attack on their son, a former Brockenhurst College pupil.

He told the Daily Echo: "Our son is not the kind of person to ever hurt anybody. He was punched to the back of his head and left with a fractured skull that goes from the back to the front of his head by someone who he could not even see.

"He has twice undergone surgery and doctors are currently slowly trying to reduce his sedation. We just don't know how long his recovery will take because every brain injury is unique."

Ray and his wife Lidia urged witnesses to the unprovoked assault to come forward and help them get justice.

Ray said: "We urge anybody who was there that night and who witnessed what happened to our son to come forward and talk to police."

The incident occurred just before 11pm on Saturday, June 16. Police have spoken to a number of witnesses who were in the area but are appealing for anyone who has not yet spoken to police to make contact.

A man of 17 and a woman of 43, both from the Fordingbridge area have been arrested in connection with this incident. They are on bail and are due to report to Lyndhurst police station in August.

For the full story see today's Daily Echo