A NEWPORT youngster who travelled to London to watch his uncle run the marathon spent the entire day in hospital after walking into a lamp-post. Like many other 11-year-olds, Jack Perrett, of Merlin Crescent, is sports mad and loves to be outside running off his excess energy.

So he was particularly excited to be travelling to London with all his relatives to cheer on his uncle Davydd in the marathon on Sunday.

But he and his parents, Mel and Alan, were only on the bank of the River Thames for a few minutes before Jack walked into a lamp-post and knocked himself out cold.

Mrs Perrett said: "I didn't see Jack hit the post but I heard the thud. "Next thing I know his legs have gone and he's lying on the floor.

"A paramedic was sitting close by having his lunch and immediately got up to help us lift Jack on to a bench.

"We managed to bring him round after a minute or two. "The paramedic insisted Jack see a doctor so he put him on a lifeboat and jetted him down the river towards an ambulance that took him to St Thomas's Hospital where he spent the rest of the day.

"We'd only been in London a few minutes. "We were scared for him because he travelled without us to the hospital but we met him there and he seemed to be okay."

Jack took Monday off school but is disappointed at having to miss the rest of the sports season - he plays football for St Julian's School and rugby for Pill Harriers.

His mother said: "The doctor said he needs a couple of weeks off so he's going to take it easy. It could have been a lot worse."