A young British holidaymaker is in intensive care in Thailand after suffering severe head injuries following a moped accident.
Josh Richardson, 24, was involved in a horrific crash after he went out on his moped for some food in the middle of the night in Bangkok in February, the Mirror reports.
The keen Ice Hockey player from Chorley, Lancashire, suffered a fractured skull but his insurers have refused to pay the £160,000 bill to return him home to the UK on a special air ambulance as they believe he was not wearing a helmet at the time.
As it has not been possible to determine whether or not Josh was wearing a helmet, his family are now trying to raise £200,000 to get him home safely.
Doctors in Thailand performed a £20,000 surgery on Josh after discovering air pockets in his brain. However, his family have said the surgery wasn't successful and he has had to have another operation on his brain which has cost an additional £20,000.
They have now been told that if this operation is also unsuccessful and he has to travel home, he will require a full ICU crew on the plane which would cost £168,000.
Josh's devastated mum Susan said: "It was such terrible news when we heard what had happened. He is in a bad way and we flew out there to be with him as soon as we could.
"We’re not sure what's going to happen and we’re so grateful for everything that people are doing back home - it means such a lot to our family."
His family friend Joanne Gibson, 56 has now organised a Go Fund Me page to help raise funds for the family.
She said: "How on earth are normal working people meant to pay it? Where are they meant to get this money from?
"I don't think Thailand will let them leave without paying upfront first. We've all come together and managed to raise £30,000 but I think we're exhausted because it's just not touching the iceberg.
"His bill is already thousands and then we need at least £150,000 to get him home."
You can donate here.
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