By Ashleigh Wilmot

A YOUNG Hampshire man who is making a ‘miracle’ recovery after falling down a three-metre slope on holiday is taking part in The Great South Run.

A group of Tom’s friends will be helping him complete the 10-mile course in a wheelchair.

Tom Harris, 23, a former Perins School pupil in Alresford, booked a getaway to Slovenia at the beginning of August with four friends.

He was split up from his friends Louis Telford, 23, Stuart Bishop, 22 and Jack Clark, 22, on the last evening of their holiday.

As Tom was walking home he accidently slipped and fell off a three-metre slope, severely hitting his head on the grass verge.

Louis alerted Tom’s parents, Leroy and Louise Harris, who then got the next flight available to Slovenia.

Tom, from Dummer, north of Winchester, was rushed to hospital in the capital Ljubljana, where he was put in an induced coma for three weeks.

Hettie Whale, 22, a close friend to Tom, said: “We all expected the worst, we were devastated.”

But a crowdfunding page raised £8,990 to help towards his treatment, covering the cost of a private plane to Southampton general Hospital where he was later transferred to Basingstoke hospital before being discharged a week later, on September 15.

Leroy Harris, said: “I can’t believe the efforts that have been made to the crowdfunding page. The whole experience has been incredible, especially Tom’s friends and family.”

Tom added: “It’s been the weirdest couple of months – it feels like I’ve just lost a month.

"The nurses at Basingstoke hospital were referring to my recovery as a miracle."

“I’m very thankful for how everything turned out and that I’m still with it.”

The near-fatal incident has prompted over 20 of his friends and family to take part in The Great South Run in Portsmouth on October 22 to raise money for Headway and Teenage Cancer Trust.

Tom will be taking part in a wheelchair although medical staff say he will make a full recovery.

Hettie added: “It’s brought everyone together – I couldn’t be happier.”