He's home! — 18 months after an attack in a pub car park left him with life-threatening injuries, Cam Shirley has returned to the Shanklin hotel his mum runs.

Cam, now 19, has fought his way back to health in hospital and latterly at the Peartree Rehabilitation Unit on Southampton and, on Monday, he was collected by mum Alysa and brought home.

He has a surprise though as his friends were all hiding in the Victoria Lodge Hotel and came out to surprise him for a socially distanced reunion.

Alysa said: "He has ongoing physiotherapy and continues to push himself every day. He has limited speech and movement but always full of smiles.

"The whole house has been adapted. He now has his own wheelchair adapted bathroom and wheelchair access to the hotel.

"Peartree rehabilitation unit in Southampton were amazing in his recovery. He was there from September last year and they pushed him to be the person he is today.

"Without their continuous support he would not be who he is today.

"He was given 48 hours to live on December 13 and now he is home enjoying being part of the family again.

"This is mostly down to James Horseburgh and Stephanie Fleet at Peartree, who encouraged Cameron to get to this level. I owe them everything. "

But Alysa said her Cam's Army campaign to stop young men fighting would continue.

"Cam's Army will now push forward and by talking to schools and reaching out to youngsters, myself and Cameron hope to educate children further in the effects of violence and hope that we can make them walk away. Fighting causes devastation on so many levels.

"The last 18 months have turned us all upside down."