A PONTYPOOL man has said thank you for the “relentless and inspiring” public support which has seen an appeal to medically evacuate his special forces brother home from Thailand receive more than £60,000 in donations.

David Kyffin, from Trevethin, is determined to get his “hero” brother, Stuart, home for Christmas following a life-threatening motorcycle accident last month.

Since Mr Kyffin first appealed for help in the Free Press on October 23, a dedicated donation page has received more than £35,000 from public pledges, with more huge sums received in recent offline donations from the SAS Regimental Association, and security company Pilgrims Group, among others.

On Monday the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment alone donated a further £5,161, from supermarket collections around the Leicestershire area.

But the family estimate they need around £100,000 to cover all the medical bills incurred as Stuart, 43, has no insurance in Thailand, where he lives with his girlfriend, Jiraa, and their three-year-old daughter, Kyraa.

Mr Kyffin said: “I continue to be overawed by the amazing generosity of the British public, especially now when times are so hard.

“Stu’s condition remains critical but he is now breathing by himself. You will never meet a more determined individual and if anyone can pull through this, Stu can.”

Liverpool-born Stuart, 43, served in the special forces for ten years from 1996 to 2005, before becoming a security consultant in Thailand.

Doctors have previously said he is unlikely to recover fully from the severe head trauma he suffered in the accident on October 4.

A Facebook page has also been set up as part of the fundraising drive – ‘Support Our Stu’ – where numerous fund raising events have been organised and advertised across the country.

Mr Kyffin added: “There is a long way to go but I will not rest until my brother is getting the best medical treatment available here in the UK.

“Please continue to pray and donate if possible for our much loved hero.

“We never leave a man behind.”

Mesages of support have flooded in on the donation page.

One person wrote: “I hope you reach the target and bring him home. He looked after this country and now this country should look after him.”

The donation page can be found at http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/medevac-for-stu/96395?utm_source=first-email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=a&utm_campaign=congratulations