THE father of a promising young footballer left paralysed when she fell out of a tree said he has been "bowled over" by his daughter's courage.
Mike Jones said despite learning she will never walk again, 13-year-old Lauren had remained "smiley" and described her as an inspiration.
Mike, 43, of Offington Drive, Worthing, said: "We knew she was a strong character but we are just immensely proud of how she has coped.
"Hearing she would not walk again was very, very hard, in fact it was brutal at the time, but Lauren's reaction has helped get us through."
Football trialsTragedy struck just two days after Lauren heard she was through to the final stages of trials for Brighton and Hove Albion football club.
But Mike said even as she was coming to terms with the fact she would never play again, she remained cheerful.
He added: "Even when she was going down for an operation, she saw me at her side in a blue surgical cap and laughed, and it was then I knew I still had my daughter.
"If it's possible, I've realised she's even more marvellous than I thought."
Tree fallThe accident happened on June 13, when Lauren and her friend were sitting in a tree at Chichester Marina.
Tragically, Lauren slipped and fell to the ground, landing on her spine.
She was airlifted to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester with spinal injuries before being transferred to Southampton University Hospital, where she remains in a high dependency unit.
Next week, she will be moved to a specialist centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital to begin her rehabilitation process.
Play for EnglandMichelle Lawrence, director of the Women and Girls' Centre of Excellence at the Albion, said: "Lauren demonstrated a lot of potential and we are said that she won't have the opportunity to fulfil her dream of playing for England."
Lauren was also a key member of the Worthing Minors Under-14s team – helping them win the Sussex Challenge Cup by scoring a difficult equaliser.
Devastated friends have set up a Facebook group called
We're Thinking of you Lauren Jones.
One friend said: "I could see you becoming a footballing great. It's a great shame to see that you will never follow your dream."
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