FORMER Welsh boxing champion Rachael Buckland is said to be in stable condition after fracturing her skull after a fall - but has managed to squeeze her husband's hand.

The 25-year-old former bantamweight Welsh champion is currently in an induced coma at the University Hospital of Wales after she fell down the stairs and hit her head at her home in St Mellons.

She is married to Newport's undefeated Celtic boxing champion Mitchell Buckland, 23, and the couple have two children; two-year-old Lorenzo and one-year-old Ella-Rose.

After suffering a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain, Mrs Buckland’s father-in-law Gary Buckland said his daughter-in-law is currently in a good stable condition, but is still fighting for her life.

He said: “She is stable but she’s fighting for her life and she’s fighting very very hard.

“Rachael will fight this till the end and she is a very strong woman. It isn't over yet.”

However, Mr Buckland, who lives in Rhymney, said the entire family are staying strong and are hopeful for her recovery.

He said: “On Tuesday night she sort of came round and squeezed Mitch’s hand. I wasn’t actually there but she squeezed it when her sister mentioned Lorenzo and Ella-Rose.

“She squeezed it twice, and then later on she started opening and closing her eyes.

Mr Buckland added: “I think she’ll make it, and no matter what happens we’re a big family and we’ll do whatever we can.”

Fundraising is currently taking place across the next few days at the Tom Toya Lewis pub in Newport, where Mrs Buckland works as a chef, and at the St Joseph’s boxing gym in Newport, where she met her husband while training.

Yesterday, the Tom Toya Lewis pub on Commercial Street held an all-day fundraiser where staff along with boxers from St Joseph’s took part in a sponsored ride on an exercise bike.

An ongoing raffle is also taking place across the next few days in a push to raise £5,000.

Currently, St Joseph’s has raised more than £4,000 through raffle tickets, donation buckets and auctioning off boxing merchandise.

Tony Borg, a boxing coach at St Joseph’s, said he’s proud of how the boxing community has come together during this difficult time.

He said: “The response we’ve had has been fantastic really. We had some brilliant raffle prizes like spa days at the Celtic Manor and things like that.

“It just goes to show how close knit the boxing community is when something like this happens.”

To donate to Mrs Buckland and her family, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/emma-odonoghue