Hopes for nightclub accident coma girl Laurie Jay Balfour, of Doncaster, as first movement reported

Laurie Jay Balfour was left with potentially life changing injuries after the cannister struck her as she was on holiday in Zante.

She was due to have a scan this afternoon.

But she has been showing movement in her hospital bed for the first time, despite the coma.

Pal Becci Tomlinson said yesterday Laurie had moved her hand and a tear had run down her face. She had also curled her lip, Elvis style.

She said: “This is the first bit of movement we have had. Let’s pray for more miracles.”

Meanwhile, Laurie’s mum and dad have urged people to make sure they take out travel insurance after seeing that has happened to Laurie.

Parents Deana and Philip said: “As you know our daughter walked into a club in Zante on the 3rd of August with her friends to have a good time with them.

“She didn’t get to walk out of it.

“She wasn’t on a motorbike she wasn’t on a jet ski or even stood on a balcony she was just dancing in a club. In the club near the bar where our daughter was dancing there was a large gas canister weighing up to hundred kilos when full.

“Somehow our daughter has fallen and this canister has also fallen and landed on her head.

“She had to be airlifted to mainland Greece and admitted into The IC unit as her injuries were so severe. She has a severe baseline fracture of the skull with a large haematoma and a swollen brain. They had to insert a shunt into her head to drain fluid and give her a craniotomy which involved removing part of her skull to relieve the pressure inside her skull due to her brain swelling.

“She also had to have a tracheotomy which involved making an incision in her throat as they cannot leave her breathing pipes in her mouth for more than 15 days as this can cause infection.

Our daughter had to be moved to a private hospital on 13th August so they could embolise a fistula on her right carotid artery in her brain. This procedure took over five hours and was successful.

“Luckily our daughter had travel insurance as the hospital costs were €20,000 and if she had not had a European E1 11 card they would have been €37,000.

“Our daughter is still in an induced coma and we will not know the extent of the injuries and the deficits that her brain may have until she is brought out of the coma.

“As parents we all know that our children are so precious too us and their safety is paramount!!

“We know as parents you have to let your children lead their own lives as they become adults.

“We know they don’t listen to us and they say ‘I’ll be fine don’t worry.’

“I can’t stress this enough.....But as parents try and have an input on where they travel and make sure they have travel insurance!

“Life can be so cruel at times and at the moment we are going through the most difficult time ever in our lives and we hope and pray our daughter makes a full recovery. But what ever the outcome we will always be there “for her no matter what.

“We are overwhelmed by all the help and support that everyone has given even people we don’t even know and can’t thank them enough.

“From the bottom of our hearts we thank you again for the support as it has made the days here that little bit easier.❤️”

A Crowdfunding page has been set up to raise money for Laurie. Log onto https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/laurie-balfour for details.