A YOUNG man has been left with severe brain and skull injures after falling 20-foot from a hotel balcony in Ibiza.

George Stephenson, 22, from Canvey, was staying at Hotel Playasol Mare Nostrum when the incident happened last Tuesday.

He is currently in a coma in private hospital Policlinica Nuestra on the island.

The holiday-maker suffered various injuries including severe brain trauma, skull fractures and a fractured back vertebrae.

His family have been told surgeons cannot operate until he is in a more stable condition.

Mum Marion Stephenson, 52, from Canvey, said her son went to the island for a five-day holiday with friends.

She said: “George doesn’t drink because it makes him feel very unwell. He was sitting against the balcony and the railing moved.

“His friend’s mum came to our house to tell us there had been an accident.

“I didn’t think it was my boy, I thought she’d got it wrong.

“I cannot put it into words how it feels when you think you could lose your son, it’s worse because I wasn’t with him.”

Doctors told the family they expect he will suffer some “challenging behaviour” and there’s a risk of memory loss.

The mum was told by medical experts it could take one year before he can walk again.

She said: “I would give anything to swap places with him.

“I just want him to open his eyes and talk to me again.”

She added: "It's difficult to talk to anyone [and we] keep being told different things.

"I cannot even put it into words about how it feels when you think you could lose your son; it’s worse because I wasn’t with him.

"We do not know if he will lose his sight. The priority was his brain and he is in a coma and will be until next week.

"His facial nerves have been damaged and will require about ten hours surgery. They have got to rebuild his skull.

"[At the moment] he's on a life support machine and has a cannula in his brain.

"Everything he needs is being given to him by a drip. The doctors say if he can stay stable they can consider operations."

The family has now set up an online funding page and already collected almost £10,000, with a £15,000 target.

The mother said the support has so far been amazing.

She said: “There’s nothing I can say or do to thank everyone for their support.”

A hotel spokesman said: “I cannot offer any information in this regard. However, the incident was due to causes completely outside the hotel.”

To donate to the cause search for JustGiving Kelly and Jade Copeland.