Cannock Bar Sport owner's son seriously injured in skiing accident

George Murray, aged 16, suffered a broken back after a heavy fall on the slopes at the Courmayeur resort in the Alps. His father Scott Murray runs the popular Bar Sport in Cannock town centre.

The schoolboy, from Cannock, was flown to hospital in Aosta with internal bleeding and was initially in a critical condition but is now stable and expected to make a full recovery. He also broke his arm and several ribs.

Wife Sharon and younger son Henry were also in Italy as part of a family ski trip when George was hurt on Monday morning. Scott said they were all "accomplished skiiers".

Bar Sport is well known in Cannock and the wider area and has hosted sporting superstars including Anthony Joshua, Pele and Paul Gascoigne.

Scott told the Express & Star from Italy: "He hit a bump, landed very badly and as he fell, hurt himself.

"It's every parent's worst nightmare. You pray to God, we were all really worried.

"We knew he had broken his arm because it was in a different position but we didn't know at the time about the damage to the back and the internal bleeding.

"He was taken by air to hospital and that's when we got the bad news."

George is now awake in hospital and could be transferred back home to the UK as early as next week.

Scott said: "He's just upset that he can't box for the foreseeable future. Apart from that he seems to be ok. His ribs hurt, and his back. Luckily they reset his arm.

"Luckily he's fit and strong and I think that's helped him tremendously."