A CHARITY rugby match will be held to support a teenager who was left in a coma after falling from the seafront.

Keen rugby player and former Cardinal Newman pupil Noah Rees, 18, plunged off a wall on Brighton seafront earlier this year, breaking his back and skull.

His friends and rugby teammates have rallied round and so far raised almost £25,000 to help with his recovery.

Noah is exceeding everyone’s expectations in his rehabilitation at the Royal Hospital for Neurodisability in Putney.

He is now being allowed to visit the local pub and was able to attend a fundraising event at Hove Rugby Club in his honour last month.

Now a charity rugby game will be held between Noah’s former school Cardinal Newman and Brighton College’s teams on Friday, September 20.

Noah’s father David, from Peacehaven, said: “Noah is doing really well.

“Going to the event the other day really gave him a huge boost. He loved being taken out and getting to see everyone. It is incredible the support he has been getting.

“Everyone has such wonderful things to say about him.

“Noah is really loving and kind and lovely to so many people and that’s what we keep being told and that’s why everyone has been so supportive of him.

“NHS England has provided funding for him to stay at the neurodisability hospital he is in in Putney for 180 days.

“After that they will look at where the best place for him to go is.

It is exhausting to keep travelling up to Putney to visit, but that’s the best place for him to be treated at the moment.

“In the whole time he has been there I think there have been only two days when he hasn’t had a friend go up and visit him from Brighton.

“He has been able to go out on little trips to the pub and have a lime and soda and it has really lifted his spirits.”

The Noah Rees Foundation Match will see Cardinal Newman play Brighton College at the college on Friday, September 20, at 6pm. Entry costs £2.

To support Noah’s online fundraising effort search for come_on_noah on Instagram, or visit www.gofundme.com/f/comeonenoah.