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

The 14-year-old suffered fractures of the skull and vertebrae after colliding with a friend as he enjoyed 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 airlift him off the side of the mountain.

The drama 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 and 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 recovering in the intensive care unit at Turin.

His parents Steven and Sandra were by his bedside, but his brother Will and four other family friends flew back to Britain after the accident.

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

His father, a production manager, said it had been touch and go for as 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."

He added: "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.

Back in York family friend Tim Gott said: "He has regained consciousness and is his normal cheerful self as far as I can establish. They hope he will be home sooner rather than later."