A GWENT schoolboy who nearly died after a freak rugby accident says he hopes to get back to full fitness, and back on the pitch, within a year.

Matthew Verallo spent a week in intensive car at Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital when an operation to fix a broken leg led to serious medical complications.

During the operation, 17-year-old Matthew’s bone marrow fat leaked into his bloodstream and travelled to his lungs, causing pneumonia and severe breathing problems.

He spent six days in the intensive care unit, and two days in a critical condition as doctors fought to keep him alive.

But a month on, Matthew is back home in Draethen with mum Tanya, dad Paul and sister Olivia, and on the road to recovery.

“I didn’t actually know how bad it was,” said Matthew, who was playing for Newport High School Old Boys when he broke his leg on September 26.

“It wasn’t until I came round and the doctors told me it really had been touch and go for a while.”

After leaving hospital last week, the Bassaleg Comprehensive pupil said he is starting to feel much better, although doctors expect it will be a year before he returns to full fitness.

He lost two stone in under three weeks following his operation, and is suffering from anaemia which leaves him feeling weak. He also has scarring on his lungs as a result of the pneumonia.

“Some days I’m so weak I can barely move, but others I feel fine. I’m still not steady on my crutches yet, and it’ll still be at least three weeks before I go back to school," he said.

But Matthew, who wants to study law at university, hopes to start rugby coaching and refereeing in a few months time, and despite a few doubts, he is now determined to get back on the pitch.

“My confidence took a bit of a knock at first and I thought I would never go back. But now I know it was a freak accident and I hope I can go back to it next year,” he said.

Mum Tanya Verallo said: “We’re still anxious about him and he has a long way to go, but it’s a huge relief to have him home.”

Mrs Verallo added the whole family wanted to say thank you to staff at the Royal Gwent Hospital, particularly Christine Weaver and Jack Perry Jones, and to the friends and family who send cards and messages of support on social networking site Facebook.