An online appeal to help raise funds for the teenage victim of a brutal daylight gang attack in the centre of Canterbury has smashed through the £10,000 barrier.

The appeal, launched by KentOnline and our sister title, the Kentish Gazette, is raising money for German student Daniel Ezzedine who was left with extensive brain damage following the racially-motivated assault in 2019.

Funds will go towards supporting his devastated family, who have racked up huge debts to help care for him in Germany.

Launched on Thursday, it surpassed its initial target of £1,000 in hours. The target was then increased and has now seen more than £10,000 raised in the space of just three days.

Daniel spent more than a year in hospital following the attack, in which he was beaten with a bag of bricks and kicked full force in the head as he lay defenceless on the ground.

Nine young people have so far been convicted in relation to the incident, including six who were last week spared jail for their part in the events of that day.

Daniel was photographed this week at a therapy session. He remains unable to talk or read and requires around-the-clock care.

The appeal raised more than £10,000 for Daniel

“He can do hardly anything for himself,” said Daniel’s brother. “We look after him at home with very little help.

“He doesn’t understand much of what we tell him. We have to use pictures and hand signals to let him know what we mean.”

The Ezzedine family has been left struggling with debt and depression, as they provide Daniel with round-the-clock care in a second-floor flat in Mönchengladbach, which is not adapted to his needs.

They are forced to wheel him around in an office chair, as the apartment is not large enough to accommodate a wheelchair, while someone must always sleep beside him on the floor.

Daniel’s mother has been hardest hit by the ordeal, and now suffers with severe depression.

When Daniel was rushed to hospital after the attack he was given just a 30% chance of survival.

A fundraising campaign helped raise £16,000 to cover much of the costs of his family flying to the UK and staying in accommodation close to King’s College Hospital in London shortly after the attack, where he was a patient for more than a year.

Paul Johnson, who has lived most of my life in Canterbury, was one of the key fundraisers for that appeal.

Speaking this week he said: "I'm glad KentOnline and the Kentish Gazette has launched another appeal.

"I hope the people in Germany - because it made the national news there - find out about the contributions from the people of Kent and Canterbury. And realise the true people of Canterbury want to help and won't forget about it."

Joe Walker, editor of KentOnline's sister paper the Kentish Gazette, said: “It is heartbreaking to read of the impact this horrific attack has had on Daniel and his family.

“The city’s community rallied to support them when Daniel was in hospital, and we are delighted and grateful they have come together again to help them during Daniel’s recovery.

"All donations will be transferred directly to Daniel’s family.”

If you want to donate click here.

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