BRAVE Charlie McMurray is today riding his bike, paddling and even mastering picture crossword puzzles to the amazement of doctors and his family.

Just two months ago his parents were told three times that the seven-year-old might not live through emergency operations on his brain.

Charlie was rushed to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury, after he plunged 25ft through a warehouse skylight near his home in St Hubert's Road, Great Harwood, on June 3. He suffered serious head injuries and spent two weeks on a ventilator fighting for his life.

But now Charlie has been discharged from hospital. He has been enjoying a few days' holiday in Blackpool, staying at the home of his aunt, Melanie Edwards, with his mum, Karen Carrington, and stepdad, Geoff Cougill.

Charlie has lost some vision in both eyes since the fall and has difficulty with his short-term memory. But his family is delighted with the progress he is making.

Geoff said: "Charlie is doing fine. He's walking, talking, riding his bike and he's even been paddling in the pool at St Annes. He's having the holiday he deserves.

"Because of his sight, he does tend to bump into things a bit and is very vague as to what happened to him during the accident, but the old Charlie is really coming back."

Charlie is a pupil at St Bartholomew's CE Primary School, Great Harwood, and his family is hoping he will be fit enough to return to school in September.

But until then he is still spending three days a week at the Pendlebury hospital learning educational skills.

Geoff added: "We're going to keep on doing everything we can to get him back to how he was.

"Every day he seems to get better and you can see he's really proud of what he achieves.

"We can't put into words how it makes us feel to see him like this again."

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