POSITIVE news stories have been in precious short supply around Odsal.

The season of good will has glossed over the Bulls as everyone connected with the club continue to fear for the future.

Staff are desperate to glean any snippets of information – and what has been coming out from the frantic discussions behind the scenes has not sounded particularly encouraging.

But amid all the doom and gloom, there is one tale that has shone out like a beacon.

The remarkable recovery of teenage rugby hopeful Reagan Tolson has lifted every heart during this winter of discontent.

The 15-year-old Bulls scholar is back home for Christmas after recovering from a horrific road accident at the end of last month.

Tolson suffered multiple serious injuries after being hit by a car as he walked near Birstall retail park.

His list of injuries make horrendous reading: a broken ankle, hand, elbow, shoulder and collarbone, severe lacerations to his chest, a badly-bruised lung and a lacerated spleen. His pelvis also snapped in half, which caused internal bleeding.

Yet just over three weeks later, he was allowed to leave hospital in Leeds.

“Not all heroes wear capes,” tweeted his brother Callum in praise of the nurses who had looked after him.

The rugby league community has rallied round the young stand-off, who played for Drighlington and had signed a scholarship for the Bulls.

Odsal head coach Rohan Smith has rightly hailed Tolson as an “example to us all” for the unquenchable spirit he has demonstrated.

“Reagan is a very tough kid to go through what he has done,” said Smith.

“He is a great example for us all to fight through adversity and he has gone through it with a smile on his face.

“You never know what’s round the corner but he has coped with the situation really well. We’re all hopeful that he will be able to get back to full capacity.”

Tolson has been swamped with messages from well-wishers and several rugby league clubs and players visited him in hospital with signed shirts.

England captain and former Bulls star Sam Burgess is among the big names to have got in touch, as well as Coronation Street actor Antony Cotton.

Smith said: “I’m sure Reagan is very grateful for the attention he has received.

“Our coaching staff have been up there, which involved a few of the players who help out with the under-15s and under-16s.

“The club have gone out of their way to make sure he feels support around him.

“It’s a lot to take on for anyone, especially someone young. But he’s had a lot of good family support and from friends and colleagues he didn’t even know about.

“I’m sure that has helped to make him more comfortable with the situation.”

Elder brother Callum, a youth development officer at Leeds Rhinos, predicts Reagan will make a full recovery to play again for Drighlington next year.

Smith said: “Quite often you see athletes are very resolute and that’s what rugby league players are.

“They can cope with a great deal of stress and turbulence on the body.

“It’s how you respond to things in life. There’s always going to be something go wrong.

“Reagan is a great example of coping with a difficult situation and getting on with the job.”