IT WAS a proud moment for Newport’s Nathan Laing and his family as he crossed the finish line at yesterday’s Cardiff Half Marathon, completing the race in less than two hours.

A year ago Mr Laing was left fighting for his life after an attack in Cyprus left him in a medically induced coma.

His family did not know whether he would recover from the brain injury. But after months of hard work including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and learning to walk again unaided, Mr Laing was able to complete the challenge he set himself.

Mr Laing finished the half marathon in around one hour 50 minutes and has raised more than £1,600 for the brain injury charity Headway which has supported him.

Mr Laing’s mother Vivienne said the family were very proud of him.

She said: “He’s done really well considering where he was a year ago.”

She said his next challenge is to get back to his job with the Environment Agency - something he is hoping to do next year.

● More than 18,000 people took part in yesterday’s Cardiff Half Marathon.

This included Mark Brooks, 21, from Newbridge, who completed the route in two hours and 32 minutes. He and three work colleagues raised around £500 between them for Action for Children.

Mr Brooks, who plays American football, went from weighing 19 stone ten pounds in December last year to 14 stone ten pounds in preparation for the race.

Mr Brook’s mother Ann Waldron, from Newport, said: “It’s a great achievement.”