A cricket-mad teenager met his hero, cricketer Phil Tufnell, and toured the Kia Oval cricket ground as part of a special day organised by The Children’s Trust in Tadworth where he is undergoing intensive rehabilitation.

15-year-old Hassan from Birmingham was left with a severe brain injury after a knife attack in October last year.

Prior to his injuries, Hassan was a keen cricketer and had been invited to trials for a County Cricket team. His ambition was to play for the England.

His father, Syed Abbas, said: “I’ve never seen him so smiley. He’s in his element. It has been a difficult few months, but Hassan has been very brave and tried to stay positive. Meeting Phil and going to the Kia Oval has been a fantastic boost to him.”

It was a moment his dad could never have expected when, five months ago, he was told Hassan’s injuries were so severe that it was unlikely he would survive.

Phil said: “I’ve been involved with The Children’s Trust for 10 years, and I am humbled by the experiences of children and families I meet.

“One of Hassan’s therapists got in touch to say that he loved cricket and wanted to arrange this visit to help motivate his rehab. He’s a fantastic lad.”