A FUND to help the family of a former Welsh boxing champion who is fighting for her life after fracturing her skull in a fall has exceeded £2,000.

Rachael Buckland, 25, is in an induced coma at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, after sustaining a serious head injury from falling down the stairs just over a week ago.

Mrs Buckland, a former bantamweight Welsh champion is married to Newport's undefeated Celtic boxing champion Mitchell Buckland, 23. The boxing couple have two children together; two-year-old Lorenzo and one-year-old Ella-Rose.

The mother-of-two sustained a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain after she hit her head on the floor at home in St Mellons.

Mrs Buckland, originally from Magor, who is a chef at the Tom Toya Lewis pub in Newport, met her husband while training at the St Joseph's boxing gym in Newport.

A fundraising page has been set up to help the family which has so far raised £1, 610 with £1,000 yet to be added from fundraising over the weekend.

The Pill Harriers Rugby Club raised £510 on Saturday with a raffle. Boxing fans in attendance at Sanigar Events show in Bristol on Saturday raised £490.

Tony Borg, boxing coach at St Joseph's, said: "Mitch is speechless, he can't get over the effort that everyone is going to for him and Rachael. He appreciates what everyone is doing."

The two-time Celtic champion was due to defend his title in Scotland this Friday which was to be his 'biggest fight to date' but has cancelled the fight following his wife's accident.

On Wednesday (October 19) the Tom Toya Lewis pub on Commercial Street, will be holding an all-day fundraiser from 8am.

Staff at the pub along with boxers from the gym will be taking part in a sponsored ride on an exercise bike which will be situated at the pub. In the evening there will be a quiz starting at 7.30pm with the winner receiving a bottle of Moet.

There will also be a raffle and St Joseph's gym have organised an auction of sports memorabilia to be sold to raise funds including a gold pair of gloves signed by British champion Andrew Selby.

To donate visit http://bit.ly/2egQGTZ