TEENAGER Jack Robertson was recovering in an Italian hospital last night after being seriously injured in a skiing accident.

The 14-year-old sustained a fractured skull and broken vertebrae after colliding with a friend during the last day of his holiday on the slopes.

The youngster was knocked out by the impact and a helicopter had to be called in to lift him off the side of the mountain.

The incident happened at the resort of Sestriere, on a run known as the Banchetta, high in the Italian Alps, close to the French border.

Jack, from York, was snowboarding when he collided with a friend who was skiing. Staff at a nearby bar called paramedics.

The emergency team tried to stabilise Jack before calling in the rescue helicopter and last night he was in the intensive care unit at Turin.

His parents, Steven and Sandra, were at his bedside, although brother Will and four family friends flew back to the UKafter the accident.

Jack, who lives in Huntington and is a pupil at Huntington School, was unconscious for more than 24 hours, but has come round and doctors said his condition was stable.

His father, a production manager, said it had been touch and go for a while. "Now things are looking a bit better and we think he will pull through," he said.

"We can't thank the rescue services and the hospital enough. The Italians have been fantastic throughout.

"His friend was also hurt, but not too badly. He is very shocked by what happened and is pretty devastated."

He and his wife plan to stay with Jack until he is well enough to return home.

Family friend Tim Gott said: "He has regained consciousness and is his normal cheerful self, as far as I can establish.

"They hope that he will be home sooner rather than later.