A teacher left in a coma after a vicious assault in Thailand is being moved back to Yorkshire from a London hospital today.

Married father-of-one Adam Pickles, of Keighley, was hit over the head with an iron bar more than a year ago and has still to regain consciousness.

Mr Pickles, 41, has spent six months at the Royal Hospital for Neurodisability in London, but will now be treated in Woodlands Respite Care Centre in York.

Recently he opened an eye, but is still categorised as being in a minimally conscious state “Adam is being moved there for as long as needs be for his recovery and rehabilitation,” said his father Andrew Pickles, of Leeds.

In the meantime his family are continuing to raise cash for Mr Pickles’ care and treatment, including a reunion gig for his father’s band from the 1960s – John’s Followers.

“We haven’t played together for 45 years, but we’re getting back together at the New Keighley Variety Club on Saturday, August 3,” said Mr Pickles, 63.

“Two members of the band have travelled over from New Zealand and we’re busy rehearsing at the moment.

“We worked for many years around Keighley, Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and Sheffield.

“In 1968 we did a tour of Europe and worked in Milan for some time where we made a record called Crystal Mountain.

“We all lost contact with each other when the band split up. Two of the band members, Trevor Tillotson and John Loveday, moved to live in New Zealand.

“Now, with the power of social media they have managed to trace the other three of us, me, John Martin and John Swain, who all are still alive – amazingly – and living around the Leeds area,” Mr Pickles said.

The reunion gig is free and starts at 7.30pm with a collections for donations.

Adam Pickles was attacked in May last year and Sean Henry Tinsley, 43, of Wolverhampton, is accused of his attempted murder.

The costs of hospitalisation in Thailand, plus the air ambulance and other costs now amount to £130,000 and Mr Pickles’s friends and colleagues have worked tirelessly to raise just short of £100,000.

A fundraising video is on You Tube. To donate to Adam, his blog is at donatetoadam.org.