Brien Strathern threw himself from his room on the fifth floor of his hotel in Pattaya, Thailand, and is now in intensive care in Pattaya Memorial Hospital having broken a hip and shoulder, as well as a blood clot on his brain and extensive bruising.

He had been in a coma, and has regained consciousness, but his distraught family have launched the online public appeal on Thursday, July 16, intending to raise £5,000 to clear his hospital fees and reimburse a fellow hotel guest who Brien’s sister Sarah has described as her brother’s guardian angel.

She said: “A hotel guest found Brien lying in an alley and took it upon himself to get Brien to hospital in an ambulance. He paid for Briens initial hospital fees of £1,600. We were trying to raise £5,000 to pay for the remainer of Briens hospital fees, and to reimburse John the hotel guest. “John has become Brien’s guardian angel, and has been visiting him every day in hospital and keeping my dad and I updated on Brien’s progress. We are also raising money so that my dad can travel to Thailand and help Brien recooperate and to bring him home safely to Scotland.” A former pupil of Belmont Academy, Brien has served 12 years in the British Army and is said to be suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. “Hopefully when he is back in Scotland we can help him to a full recovery. Donations have been gratefully received, and surplus funds will be donated to Combat Stress,” added Sarah.