We are raising money to support the family of German teenager Daniel Ezzedine - who suffered life-changing brain damage in a brutal gang attack in Canterbury.

The devastating attack has left Daniel "100% disabled" - unable to speak or read and needing 24/7 care from his family in a flat that is unsuited to Daniel's needs.

His family are in turn left facing debt and grappling with depression, as they care for him in a second-floor flat that is not suited to his needs.

Daniel visited Canterbury on a post-exam trip in June 2019 - a bright 17-year-old full of hopes and dreams, with his whole life stretching ahead of him.

The youngest of five brothers, Daniel would often help his mother in the kitchen and his father at work. He had eventually hoped to go to university to study economics, and was interested in engineering. He had been keen to get his driving licence, and was excited to try a full English breakfast during his trip to England.

But while visiting Canterbury, Daniel was tragically the victim of an "unprovoked" and "racially motivated" attack carried out by a group of local teenagers, which saw him beaten with a bag of bricks and kicked full force in the head while he lay defenceless on the ground.

Nine young people have so far been convicted following the attack - six of whom were last week spared jail for their part in the events of that day.

Daniel was left fighting for his life in a London hospital and had to undergo major surgery to remove part of his brain, and insert metal plates in his skull.

More than a year later, he was finally allowed to return to his family home in Mönchengladbach, Germany.

But the assault has left him needing round-the-clock care from his family.

The family's second-floor apartment has no lift, and is not adapted to Daniel's needs. Daniel, now 19, has to be wheeled around on an office chair, as there is no space in the apartment for a wheelchair.

Two people must always be home to help Daniel get into bed and use the bathroom, while it is a "struggle" to move him outside and into the fresh air. At night, his mum or bother must sleep next to him on his bedroom floor.

In a heartbreaking victim impact statement read before Canterbury Crown Court last week , one of Daniel's brothers described his little brother as having "the most kind nature", and recalled him once being "the one that makes us all laugh, telling jokes and stories".

But the attack has changed Daniel forever.

"He now needs to be looked after 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Daniel's brother. "He can do hardly anything for himself. We look after him at home with very little help."

"Daniel needs help to eat and drink and can't even be left to sleep in his room alone. 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.

"He often gets sad and depressed and frustrated when he tries to speak."

Doctors say Daniel's quality of life is likely to be "very low", and that there is little chance of his condition improving.

Daniel's injuries have had a huge impact on his close, loving family.

"I was at university but had to take a break from my studies," said Daniel's brother. "I'm not ready to return. We all try to stay strong for Daniel and my parents, but it is not easy.

"My mother has been the hardest hit, and now suffers from severe depression. She was a very optimistic woman. She now spends her whole life caring for Daniel.

"She can't believe the healthy, cheerful boy who brought joy to our family is now sad and depressed and can't do anything for himself.

"My father is also depressed as he's worried about Daniel and the debts we've had to take on to look after him."

A fundraiser set up two years ago in the aftermath of Daniel's assault raised more than £16,000 for the Ezzedines. The family have expressed deep gratitude for the money, which helped pay for accommodation and living costs while they stayed near Daniel's London hospital.

But the family still had to borrow money for food and flights home to Germany, and are now left with debts.

We would like to raise as much as we can to help support Daniel and his family, and alleviate some of the financial pressure they face following the tragedy.

All donations - no matter how small - are gratefully received and will be given to Daniel's family.