The family of a 50-year-old man fighting for his life in intensive care have been keeping a vigil at his bedside.

Philip Nero was allegedly pushed down a nightclub's stairs at the weekend and has not regained consciousness since.

His son Carl and daughter Sarah have been told by doctors the next few hours are crucial if he is to recover.

Mr Nero, 50, suffered serious head injuries in the fall. He has already undergone surgery at Leeds General Infirmary and was today still in intensive care.

Carl Nero, 36, who lives with his father at Tonbridge Close, Wibsey, said his dad had been out in Halifax with friends celebrating the launch of their new security company.

He claimed: "They ended up at the Acapulco and he was stood at the top of the stairs.

"When he turned his back a man pushed him down it must have been with some force. My dad had his hands in his pocket and he missed all the stairs and hit his head at the bottom.

"He fractured his skull and had two blood clots. One has been removed but he's now developed a chest infection."

Now the family can only wait to see if the swelling on his brain reduces and he comes round. Even so he may have suffered brain damage.

"We are still in shock and devastated," said Carl Nero.

"We are just trying to hold on and hope that he's OK. I still can't believe someone would do that to him. Everything was going right, what with the business, and now this.

"He was my best mate and we went to the gym together every morning. My fiancee is expecting a boy which would be his first grandchild.

"He was over the moon when we had the scan and found out it's going to be a boy."

Detective Inspector Mark McManus, of Calderdale CID, said a 35-year-old Bradford man was arrested in connection with the incident, which happened on Saturday at about 12.45am, and was being questioned.

e-mail: jo.winrow@bradford.newsquest.co.uk