Fundraisers seek £50k to bring crash victim home

A fundraising event has been held in order to help a family raise £50,000 to bring their son home from Thailand after he was left with devastating injuries.

Ethan Lacey, 20, from Castle Vale, Birmingham, has spent five weeks fighting for his life with severe brain injuries.

"With communication here it's very hard to know exactly what's going on," said his father Kevin Lacey, who is in Thailand, "so that's why we're desperate to get him home for the medical treatment he really needs."

The father-of-one was visiting his cousin in Pattaya where it is believed he fell from a moving pick-up truck before being hit by another vehicle.

His family later found him in intensive care, where they were told his life support had to be turned off.

Days before the fall, the traveller extended his planned four-week trip, but his family said he had forgotten to renew his travel insurance.

Family friend Lucy Regan, who helped the fundraiser, said: "Everyone has come together to help.

"It's been absolutely outstanding."

Nicola Campbell said: "We've been around the streets, we've been everywhere that we can with buckets collecting as much money as we can.

"And we haven't let anyone go past us without tapping us for some change."

Nelly-May, her daughter, said: "He should have the same chance to see his family like everyone else."

Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.