UPDATE: 11.55am

Daniel Morgan remains in remains in a critical but stable condition this morning.

A SCHOOLBOY was last night fighting for his life after a leisure centre wall collapsed on him.

Daniel Morgan, 15, from Rockfield, Monmouth, was in a critical but stable condition at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, with serious and life-threatening injuries as the Health and Safety Executive investigated how the 1.8m high breeze block internal wall collapsed.

The Monmouth Comprehensive School pupil, said to be a talented dancer and actor, had been changing for a games lesson at the town’s leisure centre when the incident happened at 2.11pm on Tuesday. Fire crews took an hour to free him, and he was initially taken to Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny, but transferred to Cardiff to a specialist paediatric intensive care unit, yesterday.

Initial reports suggested the pupil suffered leg injuries, but the full extent of his injuries emerged yesterday.

Monmouthshire council said the wall was a partition in the male “dry” changing room.

A spokesman said: “Clearly it is for the HSE to determine the cause of the accident and while we will continue to work closely with them, we cannot comment or speculate further on the accident.

“The centre is only 12 years old and was subject to a full structural survey three years ago. It is regularly maintained and we had no concerns about a maintenance backlog or any ongoing problems with the centre.

“Following the accident we have conducted a thorough test of the leisure centre and the county’s three other leisure facilities.

“No problems have been identified and the type of wall does not appear in any of our other leisure centres.

“Our primary concern continues to be the welfare of Daniel, his family and the young people who witnessed the accident. We have offered them full pastoral support.”

Monmouth Leisure Centre remained open.

Monmouthshire County Council leader Cllr Peter Fox said: “We’re obviously shocked and upset at this accident and Daniel and his family are uppermost in our thoughts.

“ I wish him a speedy recovery and can assure the public that we are giving our full support to the investigation into the cause of this accident.

We have also carried out safety checks at our other leisure centres and are confident that they remain safe for public use.”

He thanked the emergency services for their response and the council’s own staff who were on the scene less within a minute.

Vaughan Davies, headteacher at Monmouth Comprehensive, said: “The whole school community’s thoughts are with the student and his family.

“He is charismatic and engaging and is admired across the whole school.

“Later in the academic year, he will be taking a lead role in our school production.

“ We are all waiting for him to return and wish him a speedy recovery.”