IPSWICH Town youngster Nathan Tooms is jetting off to the sun thanks to the generosity of the Blues first team squad.The big-hearted gesture will be a timely boost to relieve the misery for the 18-year-old academy midfielder, who faces a delicate operation on a cruciate knee injury in a fortnight's time.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town youngster Nathan Tooms is jetting off to the sun thanks to the generosity of the Blues first team squad.

The big-hearted gesture will be a timely boost to relieve the misery for the 18-year-old academy midfielder, who faces a delicate operation on a cruciate knee injury in a fortnight's time.

It could take around nine to 12 months for him to recover. Tooms was devastated when he suffered the injury in training just after his return from the Christmas break.

Before he goes under the knife Tooms and his girlfriend will be spending a week in the sun in Gran Granaria, which is part of the Canary Islands.

“It is a wonderful gesture by the senior players to club round and pay for my trip,” said Tooms, who would have been in the squad for Wednesday's FA Youth Cup game at Aston Villa.

Tooms has been a regular in the Under-18 side this season, and he has also played at reserve team level.

Town's academy manager Tony Humes is delighted for the youngster.

“It could be a long, lonely struggle for Nathan to regain full fitness,” said Humes. “This will give him something to cheer.

“It shows what Ipswich Town is all about with everyone pulling together. When the first team players got to know of his plight they wanted to help, and we all hope Nathan has a great few days in the sun.

“It was an innocuous incident, but Nathan came out of it in a great deal of pain and now we know the full extent of the injury.”