FORMER Newport boxing champion Rachael Buckland is now fully out of her coma and can speak, write and recognise her family.

The 25-year-old was placed in an induced coma after falling down the stairs at the beginning of October this year, fracturing her skull and developing a bleed on the brain.

Mrs Buckland, a mum-of-two and former bantamweight champion who is married to Newport boxing champ Mitchell Buckland was placed in the induced coma after having an operation to remove a piece of bone and a damaged part of her brain.

Speaking to the South Wales Argus, her father-in-law said she is now fully awake and is speaking to her family members.

Mr Buckland said: “She’s doing things which are unusual. The doctors have said it’s unusual for the accident she has had.

“She is speaking but she’s not really talking, she is whispering and can speak words and is answering questions like when she’s asked if she wants to go to the toilet.

“It’s absolutely marvellous, we are so joyful how she has got through it.”

Mr Buckland also said Mrs Buckland is able to write, can use her phone and is remembering things.

He said: “She is going to be in hospital for weeks yet but she can write and is writing what she wants.

“She’s been on her phone doing stuff that even I can’t do and she kissed her children, Ella-Rose and Lorenzo, when they came to visit her the other day.”

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

After hearing about her accident, friends of Mrs Buckland came together to raise more than £5,000 through fundraising events and activities

Through raffling off boxing merchandise, St Joseph’s Boxing Club topped up the funding amount which now stands at more than £6,500.

Tony Borg, a boxing coach at the gym, said that hearing of Mrs Buckland being out of the coma is “fantastic news”.

He said: “It’s fantastic, she’s such a strong girl and we are grateful for the determination she’s shown.

“It’s an amazing thing for everyone.

“Everyone came together and to donate money for her and lots of people have been contributing.”

However, although Mrs Buckland is out of the coma, her father-in-law said there is a long road to recovery ahead, and she will be having a metal plate fitted to her skull in the next fortnight.

“The next step is the metal plate and then we will go from there.

“It was a very bad accident and it will be weeks before she is back to herself,” he said.