A TEENAGER who was involved in a near-fatal car accident has been visited in hospital by his footballing hero.

Thomas Maylor, 17, of Whitecroft View, Baxenden, has spent 12 weeks in Preston Royal Hospital recovering from critical head injuries sustained in the crash as he returned from a camping trip in Haslingden.

And the Blackburn Rovers fan had a huge surprise when Andy Todd dropped in to pay him a visit after being contacted by nurses on the paediatric ward where he is recovering.

Mum Marie said the visit appeared to have had the desired effect.

She added: "Thomas has always been a big Rovers fan and has gone to games with his dad and grandad for years.

"We wanted to arrange something with the club to help raise his spirits and the very fact that he just can't stop smiling now shows that we've been able to achieve that."

Dad, Stephen, added: "Seeing Andy Todd like that was great for Thomas's improvement.

"We didn't know anything about it, he just turned up on the ward.

"It was great of him to do it."

Thomas, a student at St Mary's College, Blackburn, was the front seat passenger when his friend's Seat Ibiza car went out of control and flipped over into a farmer's field on Haslingden Old Road, near Oswaldtwistle, on June 4.

The youngsters were driving towards Blackburn after camping in the Haslingden area.

Thomas was left on a life-support machine in the hospital's critical care unit and later underwent a craniotomy operation, which his parents were warned he may not survive.

But since regaining consciousness, the former pupil at Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School, Oswaldtwistle, has been making steady progress.

And Thomas was thrilled when at the end of the visit Todd, a Rovers defender, promised to send him a signed shirt from the entire first team squad.

He also said he hoped to see Thomas back at Ewood Park again soon cheering on his favourite team.

Police are not treating the accident as suspicious and are expected to complete an accident report in the next month.