A family of a toddler who nearly died when he fell from a sofa and smashed his head on the floor have spoken of the trauma of watching their son fight for his life.

Mum Lee Alexander was sat on the sofa at her home in Hollesley last September when son Henry, now two, climbed up to sit with her.

"I was just sitting on the sofa when Henry came up for a cuddle," said Miss Alexander. "Then he fell backwards and hit his head. He made a cry I had never heard before and kept fitting."

The terrified mum ran out into the street with neighbours rushing to her aid.

An air ambulance was called and the family were taken to Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. On arrival Henry was whisked off to be treated by specialists, leaving his parents with an agonising wait for information.

"We kept asking what was happening but they couldn't tell us anything," said Miss Alexander.

Henry was found to have a blood clot in his brain and was put into an induced coma for seven days which he spent on the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

"Everything that could go wrong, then went wrong," said Miss Alexander.

Henry suffered complications including water on the brain.

He was finally allowed home in November after another major brain operation but the nightmare was far from over for the family.

The accident left Henry with a life-changing brain injury, the full extent of which is unknown.

"We are still struggling now. Henry's doing amazingly well but he's still got a long way to go in recovery," said Miss Alexander.

"To look at him, he looks fine, but he has highs and lows, and he could have special educational needs."

To thank the charities that saved his life the family and their friends have arranged a ball.

"I wanted to organise a charity ball back in October when a mutual friend of mine and Lee's organised a 20-mile sponsored walk with many of Roy and Lee's family taking part," said family friend Jules Tyler.

The ball will take place on September 28 at All Manor of Events in Ipswich.

All the money raised will go to the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, The Sick Children's Trust and PICU.

The family is looking for donations for prizes for the ball, anyone who can help email the family.