A teenager who was brutally attacked has undergone pioneering surgery to save his eye.
Matthew Noblett underwent a six-hour operation and had 170 stitches inserted in his right eye, in which he was punched by the thug.
Matthew, who turns 20 on November 19, said: “It was a bigger operation than I thought it was going to be.
“They cut my eye in half, pulled back the layers then sewed the layers back together, then folded it all back together.
“If I hadn’t had the operation I would have lost my eye.”
The operation was carried out at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital by consultant surgeon Fiona Spencer DM FRCS (Glas) FRCophth.
Doctors warned Matthew, of Pear Tree Avenue, Coppull, who was punched outside the Swan with Two Necks in August, that he would never regain full vision.
Matthew had his eye glued at Chorley but was then referred to Preston because his eye was haemorrhaging and had a tear.
His attacker, 16, received a police caution.
Matthew said he was disappointed more severe justice wasn’t handed out but that he was trying to keep positive after his whole ordeal.
He said: “I just try to keep my head up. Obviously it’s not very nice to have to go through that. I’m not letting it affect me. “You just get used to it really, which is a shame but you just have to keep going.
“It’s very disappointing that this person was just given a police caution.”
Matthew is studying environmental management at the University of Central Lancashire and is a supervisor at Starbucks at Charnock Richard Service Station on the M6.
He said: “I can’t personally think of a reason why you would want to punch anybody.
“Nothing he could say to me will change what he’s done.
“I will never forgive him for what he’s done.”
Matthew lives with his dad Joseph, 45, who has just started up his own business as a landscape gardener, mum Louise, 46, who works for the CAB in Preston and his sister Kate, 16.
Comments