‘MY WORLD came tumbling down - my dad, my best friend and my everything was left dying in the road.”

Those are the heart-wrenching words of the teenage daughter of Simon Hackett, who was left permanently disabled in a one-punch assault just over four years ago.

She has bravely spoken out for the first time as her and her mum prepare to spend their first Christmas since the attack with him at home, marking a truly special day in their journey of heartache. Their nightmare began on September 20, 2015, when the much-loved dad and partner was punched in the face and knocked to the ground as he walked home from a night out in Buttershaw.

Simon suffered catastrophic head and brain injuries which have left him totally dependent on nursing care.

He’s had to undergo countless operations and his family were unsure if he would even survive the attack.

In 2016, Jordan Docherty was sentenced to four years in a young offender institution over the incident.

Simon and Caroline’s daughter was just 11 when her dad left home and didn’t return.

She’s now 15 and has spoken of the untold devastation of the past four years.

She told the Telegraph & Argus: “From the age of 11, my world came tumbling down.

“I was 10 days into high school with an exciting time ahead - getting my education and also meeting new friends.

“That really didn’t happen. My dad, my best friend and my everything was left dying in the road from an unprovoked attack.

“We have all been on a very long journey for the past four years, so now I have a very different dad who I will always love and cherish forever.”

She goes to see her dad everyday and says they are “still as strong” as they always were.

And tomorrow is set to be “one special day” as Simon will return home for a short while to spend Christmas with them for the first time since their lives were turned upside down.

“For the first time since my dad been has been away from myself and my mum, and our close friends who have been on this journey with us, we are so looking forward to this Christmas, my dad been at home with us on Christmas Day. This will be one special day.

“Most of all we are looking forward to been a family again in the New Year - ever since my dad was taken into this cruel way of life.”

The devoted mother and daughter visit Simon everyday at the Mirfield-based Hollybank Trust, where he is cared for, and are still working towards bringing him home permanently so they can be reunited as a family.

He recently had to undergo his 17th operation – yet another gruelling chapter in his battle.

Simon’s long-term partner Caroline Sykes, 49, said: “Just seeing him like this everyday - it’s the impact it’s had on us.

“We are all victims of crime. This is what it is, crime. There’s no end. It does not get any easier - it gets worse.”

Christmas is a time of reflection, particularly as it was such an important time for them as a family.

Speaking about the impact on their daughter, who she has seen grow from a young girl into a young lady, she said: “Her heart is broken into one million pieces. She keeps strong for her dad, she keeps strong for me and all the people wo love Simon.”

One bright spot on the horizon is the time they will spend together tomorrow.

Miss Sykes said: “That will be absolutely amazing, to have Simon home on Christmas Day. To have him home with us here.”

To their delight, Simon has also begun to make some communication gestures, including a thumbs up and the Makaton gesture for ‘I love you’.

It’s a great development for the family and they are hoping to build on that progress even more. They thanked everyone who has offered support on their journey.

Miss Sykes met with Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, earlier this year to talk about the impact of the attack.

At the time, he said: “I want to say how courageous I found Caroline in rebuilding her life after such a difficult trauma that continues to present significant challenges to her daily life”. He said he would be raising the case - and the gaps it highlights - with Dame Vera Baird, the Victims Commissioner for England and Wales.