Touched by the plight of teenager Jay Ryles-Jenkins, who has spent a year in hospital recovering from a brain injury, staff at Grittleton House School have organised a ball to help get him home.

The ball, on April 24, will raise funds for an extension to be built at the 17-year-old’s home in Chippenham, which would allow him to have a downstairs bedroom, wet room and space for a wheelchair.

The majority of the work will be carried out by the BBC programme DIY SOS, but the ball will help fund the materials.

Jay collapsed after captaining his rugby team from Sheldon School to victory over neighbouring Hardenhuish in March last year and remains in Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.

Former Grittleton House principal Adrian Shipp said: “When I read about Jay’s mum having to go into hospital every day to see him I just wanted to do something.

“This is a young lad who plays rugby and things – he has even played against us in the past – and suddenly this all happened and he needs some help.”

Staff at the school, including cooks, have offered their time free of charge so they can be involved in the ball, which it is hoped will raise £8,000.

Mr Shipp said: “I don’t even know the boy, but having my own family and having taught for many, many years made me want to help out.

“I have got my own maintenance team here and we were going to try and do something ourselves, but we are under pressure until June.

“My staff would not have been available, but when this DIY SOS programme said they were coming in it was brilliant because we can do some extras like supplying some stuff maybe for a music room or something.”

In January Jay’s mother, Sue Jenkins, made an emotional appeal to get her son home from the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit in Bristol, where she visits him every day. Mr Shipp said: “The day I read that report I became far more aware of the whole thing. I just thought it was time I did something.”

Entry to the ball and three course dinner, which will include a silent auction, band and disco, costs £25 and tickets are available from the school.

Filming for DIY SOS is due to start on April 19. Programme spokesman Christine Nisbet said: “We have had a really good response from people wanting to get involved.

“Planning permission has come through so everything is coming together ready to start.”