A rising footballer who was left partly paralysed after a nightclub attack celebrated his progress with a party in Seven Kings on Saturday.

Nick Morgan, 26, used to work as a bouncer at O’Grady’s Irish Bar in High Road, Seven Kings, and was a goalkeeper for Billericay Town Football Club.

He was told he would never walk again after suffering spinal injuries in an attack outside the Sugar Hut in Brentwood in October.

But now he is starting to walk without crutches after months of treatment at Stoke Manderville Hospital in Buckinghamshire.

He said: “I’m walking and getting a bit stronger and getting my balance back. I was recovering really quickly and now it’s just taking a while.”

Nick, who has moved to Buckhurst Hill, said he had a great time at the party.

He said: “It was good to be back and to see everyone, when you come out of hospital after so long you don’t really know what to do.

“I’d like to thanks everyone at O’Grady’s for supporting me and for their amazing generosity.”

After the attack O’Grady’s raised �30,000 towards Nick’s treatment.

Nick’s brother, Ben Morgan, 36, organised the party to celebrate Nick being discharged from Stoke Mandeville earlier this month and thanked the bar for their fundraising work.

He said: “Everyone was looking forward to seeing him and catching up.

“He’s doing amazingly well but there’s still a long way to go.”