Injured British pensioner transferred to Liverpool hospital

74 year-old William Cookson from Huyton, was found unconscious inside his hotel room days after he reportedly slipped while walking on rocks in St. Paul’s Bay before a swim and hit his head.

His family had to raise thousands of pounds to make good for having no comprehensive travel insurance cover.

Cookson, a former miner, was encouraged to go on the trip to help him come to terms with the death of wife Julie just weeks earlier.

He was admitted to Mater Dei Hospital and diagnosed with severe cranial bruising and haemorage which led to a coma.

Cookson’s daughter flew to Malta to be with her father, and managed to raise thousands of euros to be able to finance the air transfer to Britain, given that her father’s travel insurance was minimal and didn’t cover the hefty expense of organising an air ambulance and other medical costs.

The man has since been transferred to Whiston Hospital’s intensive care unit in Liverpool.

His daughter, Julie Wilkinson, who flew out to be with her dad after the accident, said: “We are just glad he is home. It is a message to everyone to make sure their insurance is comprehensive, because this could have happened to anyone.

“We would also like to say a big thank you to all the people in the community who have helped us out.

“Now it is just a waiting game. The doctors do not really know what will happen, but at least dad is close to all his family,” she said.