A MAN left brain damaged after being attacked in the street was joined in hospital by three generations of his family as he celebrated a birthday they feared he would not see.

Craig Kaye's family gathered for a 41st birthday party at the hospital where he is undergoing intensive long-term rehabilitation.

Cake, presents, balloons and lots of laughs were the order of the day to put a smile on his face as he battles to overcome brain damage.

Mr Kaye fractured his skull when he was knocked to the ground by a single punch from a 16-year-old youth, in Hollybank Road, Great Horton, on August 31 last year - three days after his 40th birthday.

The youth admitted causing grievous bodily harm and was given a two-year youth rehabilitation order.

Mr Kaye suffered catastrophic injuries in the incident, which happened as he walked home from a party, and was initially not expected to survive.

His devoted mother, Jean Kaye, visited him in Leeds General Infirmary every day for nine months, in intensive care, the high dependency ward and neurological ward.

In May he was transferred to Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, where he is continuing his determined bid to walk, talk and eat on his own. He will need one-to-one care for the rest of his life.

During his fight for recovery he has suffered two potentially fatal epileptic fits.

But yesterday he was all smiles as he was joined in a day room and special garden at the hospital by his 90-year-old grandmother Annie Hall, his mum Jean Kaye, her sister Lynne, and his sisters Dawn, 48, and Andrea, 46.

Mrs Kaye said: "It was a real family party and Craig's face lit up. We put birthday balloons up and took him a big cake, with Happy Birthday in edible chocolate on the top, and a load of presents.

"I got him a Just Do It T-shirt, a jacket and other shirts. His gran got him a posh Dr Who magazine and my sister bought him a Connect 4 game, which should keep him out of mischief.

"But the best birthday present for me was simply having him there to celebrate it with, because by rights he shouldn't have been here. For a while it looked as if he wouldn't make it, so today is special for everyone. It was our miracle."

Mrs Kaye, of Bradford, said her son was continuing to make progress but she know it would be a long process.

She said: "He is now eating proper food, mashed up. Cottage pie, chicken casserole. He can't get enough.

"And I can understand more of what he is saying. He used to get frustrated about not being able to communicate properly, but now he just laughs.

"The hospital staff, from the doctors to the cleaners, are super with him, and he is happy there. I make him laugh and he makes me laugh. I know his progress is going to take an awful long time, but I just take every day as it comes. He is an absolute hero."