A MUM who was left in a coma after she collapsed is being moved to a specialist rehabilitation centre - with her excited husband saying she is "one step closer" to returning to her family.

In August last year, Gregg Ormondroyd's wife Donna, aged 34 at the time, suddenly took ill at their home in Tyersal, Bradford, and scans later revealed she had suffered massive brain damage.

Now, after initially being advised to turn his wife's life-support machine off, Mr Ormondroyd, 29, is hopeful of a brighter future.

Today he is accompanying Donna, now 35, to a rehabilitation unit in Goole, East Yorkshire, where the next step in her recovery process is due to start tomorrow. She is being moved from Bradford Royal Infirmary.

"It is an exciting and interesting time," said Mr Ormondroyd. "Six months ago they were telling me to turn the life-support machine off because she was not going to survive.

"It is nothing short of a miracle. It is fantastic. We are one step closer to getting her back with us and being a family again. It is a hell of a positive step."

Donna's treatment is expected to include physiotherapy and stimulation work.

"It is going to be really intensive for her," said Mr Ormondroyd, who added: "It is going to be brilliant for her because it is full-on rehab. BRI is not set up for that, although I am very thankful to everyone there - they have been amazing. It is time to kick on now.

"She could be the other side of the world for me. As long as she gets the best treatment.

"I believe that she will come on - how far, nobody knows. There are signs there, otherwise they would not be taking her."

Mr Ormondroyd said the couple's four children, Blake, Rocco, Savannah and Honey - and two stepchildren Kelsey and Harvey - were aware of their mum's move and were "really excited".

"They will be going over there at some point," he added.

Mr Ormondroyd said Donna could now communicate through blinking and was also responsive to pain.

"You cannot hang your hat on the blinking, but it happens more often than not," he said. "The signs are there.

"She is also responding to pain, which shows that her brain is working.

"It is going to be an interesting few months now and I am quite excited, to be honest.

"The doom and gloom has gone for me now. I am going to be positive now."

Last December, social housing landlord Incommunities announced it had found a property in Shipley for the Ormondroyds that could be adapted to provide a family home that could accommodate Donna and her family.

Mr Ormondroyd said work was on-going to get the house ready and he hoped to be able to move the family in towards the end of May or early June.

"There are things need doing, like doorways need widening, and Donna's room needs bringing up to NHS standards," said Mr Ormondroyd.