A TEENAGER seriously injured in a holiday coach crash tragedy has been told he has to stay in hospital in Austria -- because there is no bed for him in the North-west.

Richard Howard, aged 16, was expecting to fly home by air ambulance on Thursday morning, but the flight was grounded after his family received a telephone call informing them that no hospitals could take him.

His mother and father were told that the Royal Bolton Hospital could not take him and there were no beds on wards at Salford's Hope Hospital.

The Canon Slade schoolboy suffered serious injuries when a coach he was travelling on in Austria with his friend Ian Astley and his parents, Don and Glennys, crashed down a hillside, killing five people and injuring dozens of other passengers.

Richard suffered a torn spleen, ruptured liver, lung damage and facial injuries and has had pneumonia.

After being turned down by the Bolton hospital the family asked to be transferred to Hope Hospital, near Manchester, but were told he would only be taken if he stayed in the accident and emergency department.

Richard's parents Martin and Melanie, of Worsley, are furious.

Speaking from Richard's hospital bed in Innsbruck, Mrs Howard said: "Richard has been through so much he really doesn't need all this trauma. We all had our hopes built up that we were coming home at 6am today and we got a phone call late last night saying no hospitals would take him. We were then told Hope would, but only in the A&E department and that's no place for a child, especially when he has only come out of intensive care eight days ago.

"Everyone at this end in Austria have been amazing but the English side of the arrangements have been appalling.

"Richard is quite depressed and we think it's disgusting that no NHS hospital near to where we live will take him.

"We are both working parents and have never asked for any treatment from the NHS before for Richard."

Richard will need around 12 months of treatment because doctors fear he may never regain the use of his right arm.

But there was some good news. Richard has gained eight A to C grades at GCSE and found out when his head of year at Canon Slade, Ingrid Battersby, telephoned him.

Mrs Howard said: "The school didn't have to do that and we really appreciate them keeping in touch.

"Mrs Battersby has been an absolute gem and has cheered Richard up no end."