A STUDENT from Gwent who suffered brain damage after hitting his head on a night out has made an astonishing recovery.

Doctors thought that Tim Callaghan, 22, who was in a coma for nearly a month, might never recover, and have been amazed by the change in him.

Tim studied art, design and media at Cross Keys college between 1997 and 2001, before starting a degree in media at Swansea University.

In Swansea, on January 4, after a night out with friends, the nightmare began.

Speaking from the Westminster Awel-y-Mor rehabilitation unit, near Swansea, Bedwas-born Tim told the Argus: "It's a bit hazy, but I had been out for a few drinks and was walking home when I slipped on a patch of ice and hit my head.

"At first we didn't think it was serious. There was a little bit of blood, but I seemed OK. But then I started babbling crazy things and they called an ambulance.

"I slipped into a coma, and a brain scan showed I had a large blood clot on the brain. After operations and weeks in a coma I came round, but had to be on large doses of morphine. I couldn't move and everybody thought that I would never walk again.

"In April I was well enough to move to this centre, but I was still in a bad way. I could only move one arm and I became very depressed coming off the morphine. I couldn't stand the thought of not ever walking again but I was determined to get better."

Slowly, with intensive physio- and occupational therapy, Tim regained the use of his limbs, and now he is well enough to get back on his beloved skateboard and micro-scooter.

Denise Hutchinson, Tim's occupational therapist at the Westminster Awel-y-Mor unit, said: "Tim has done exceptionally well, it really is a miraculous recovery.

"He has made a comeback faster than we thought possible, it's been an inspiration."

Tim hopes to return to his course in 2004, and set up an independent film company.