A SOLDIER left fighting for his life after trouble flared outside a Southampton pub has returned home from hospital.

Chris Jones was transferred back to Cardiff from Southampton General Hospital where he had spent days unconscious in the specialist head injury unit.

His family, including his heavily-pregnant girlfriend Kathryn Andrews who was due to give birth at the start of this week, kept a bedside vigil as he was gradually brought round and regained consciousness.

Chris, from Pontyclun, South Wales, had travelled to the city on board a coach with fellow Cardiff City fans who were attending St Mary’s on the afternoon of February 28.

After being refused entry to the ground he returned to nearby pub The Chapel Arms. The fracas happened outside and saw Chris suffer a blow to the head.

Now two weeks after the attack in which 21-year-old Chris was knocked to the ground, he has made a remarkable recovery and been allowed to return home.

Chris’s stepfather Roy Underhill said: “At the beginning of this week we had him out of bed in hospital, walking along the corridor.

“We have gone from a nightmare situation just a couple of weeks ago to seeing a vast improvement and getting him back home – it’s fantastic. We’ve got him back home just in time for the birth of his first child.”

Detectives investigating the trouble outside the Albert Road North pub, as Saints took on Cardiff half a mile down the road, have now arrested two men in connection with the assault.

Both have been questioned and released on bail pending further enquiries.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Shirley CID on 0845 045 4545.