Boxer Nick Blackwell has woken up from his coma this week to the delight of his family.

The boxer from Trowbridge fell ill after a sparring session last month - he had to have an operation to remove part of his skull after suffering a bleed on the brain.

Hi family say at one point doctors told them Nick could be paralysed and there was a chance he may not wake up.

One thing they kept saying to him whilst he was in a coma was "just wake up before Christmas" and he's done just that.

In the week leading up to Christmas his family walked in expecting to see him still in a coma, unresponsive and with a breathing aid over his face - but instead he was sat up watching the TV.

He's still got a very long way to go to recover to his full potential but we know he will do it, it's just going to take time. At the moment it's all amazing news, he's a fighter at heart for sure. But he is a Blackwell after all! Chantelle Spong

It's the second time Blackwell had been placed in a coma this year. He suffered a bleed on the brain after his fight with Chris Eubank Jr in March.

After he woke up he announced his retirement from the sport.[](http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2016-04-19/trowbridge-boxer-to-retire-thats-me-done/)

But he stepped in the ring to spar and after one session in November he was back in hospital, again with bleeding on the brain.

Many were critical of his decision to spar again but a family member posted this on social media:

"There's been mixed opinions regarding nick sparring in the first place. Some would say it was silly, others would say it was his passion. But that's ok, we didn't take anything to heart as we wanted privacy and nobody knew a thing so we understand the negative comments.

"We don't know what was going through nicks mind at the time but we do know boxing was nicks life and full time job for 10 years, it was all he ever knew and it got ripped away from him.

"If Nick thought for one second that he didn't feel 100% we know in our hearts he would of never stepped foot in that ring to spar. His family and friends are his world and we know he never wanted us to go through this again but he genuinely thought he was at full health."

- Chantelle Spong