Teenage footballer Quinton Barham has been taken out of intensive care and into his own room at Bristol Children’s Hospital.

He is now in the rehabilitation stage and doctors are working on building his strength so he can return home as soon as he is well enough.

His father Paul Barham, 48, of Hyde Road, Trowbridge, said: “He is back to his old self and is starting to walk again.

“He is eating a lot and getting stronger every day.”

Mr Barham continues to remain by his son’s side and has not left the hospital since Quinton had a cardiac arrest while playing in an under 14 cup game at Bromham on Febrauary 3.

“He is still getting a lot of visitors and we hope to get him home in the next week or so.”

Quinton’s teammates from Bradford Town Youth Football Club’s A team played their first match since witnessing Quinton collapse at the sidelines. The under 14 team had been without a fixture since the cup tie, in which the Clarendon Academy pupupil collapsed, and the club arranged a runout at Winsley yesterday.

The club’s chairman Nick Maw said: “Everyone was on tenterhooks but after a bit of banter the team took to it like a duck to water.”

“They are raring to go and would love to see Quinton back on the pitch soon but they know that he has to take it easy.”