A 23-year-old man who was in a coma after an overnight attack lies next to his baby in a heartbreaking snap taken just days before his life support machine was turned off

This is the heartbreaking moment a comatose father lies next to the newborn daughter he never saw, just days before the life support machines were turned off.

George Fenlon, 23, was left unconscious in hospital for three months after being attacked during a night out in Blackpool, Lancashire, last year.

His partner Beth Turner, 23, was heavily pregnant at the time of the attack and gave birth to their daughter – named Clara Georgia after her father – just two weeks before his death.

Although he never regained consciousness, he was able to lie with his daughter in the hospital as she was placed in the crook of his arm. George’s devastated mother Melissa captured this touching moment.

Melissa, 53, said: “Looking back now, I’m not sure how we all got through it. The range of emotions we had to go through was horrific.”

“Beth wanted Clara to meet George and spend some time with him, so she had a Caesarean section and spent a few weeks with him in the hospital, seeing him every day.

“It was important that she did that because we have memories, we have pictures.”

“The hospital has done a lot, we also have small prints of Clara and George’s hands together.”

On August 15 last year, police were called to a report of a robbery at The Strand in Blackpool at around 2am.

They found that George, a bartender at the Revolution Bar, had suffered severe head injuries.

He was taken to Royal Preston Hospital and placed on life support but tragically died in hospital on November 22nd.

An inquest found that George had collapsed and was unconscious following the attack. A post-mortem examination determined that his cause of death was the result of blunt trauma to the head.

Rhys Jones, 26, of Cannock, Staffordshire, has been charged with murder and will stand trial in June.

Melissa said of the ordeal: “We were all in shock and didn’t know what was happening.”

“One of his friends called. He said something had happened, but no one knew exactly what.”

“Then we heard that George had been admitted to the Royal Preston Hospital. We didn’t know why, but as we got more information we realised he had a serious head injury and therefore Preston was the best place for him.”

“His girlfriend was six or seven months pregnant at the time, so we were all just shocked and when we saw him, it was pretty horrific.”

Six months after his death, Melissa now hopes to leave a lasting legacy for her “fun-loving” son.

She organized a charity event called “The Fenlon Football Funday” in July at the resort’s Stanley Park, which includes a soccer tournament and entertainment for children.

Melissa said of George: “He just wanted to make people laugh, he was a fun-loving and very laid-back guy, to be honest, nothing could faze him.”

“Clara’s favourite TV show is the Teletubbies and he was probably like a big Teletubby, just stupid, and it’s sad that Clara will never get to see that.

“So this beautiful day is for Clara and all of George’s friends to keep his memory alive.”

“George was just so popular that it would be nice for the young people of Blackpool not to be sad but to remember George through Clara instead.”

“If it’s a success this year, I hope it happens every year. George was just like that, he was a fun-loving guy who loved football and that’s what George would have wanted – for everyone to have a good day.”

Revolution Bar, where George worked, is continuing the celebrations into the evening and will create a cocktail in his name.

All proceeds will go to Elliot’s Place, a local charity dedicated to supporting young men with their mental health and wellbeing.

Melissa added: “George’s friends are struggling with his loss, so the charity just spoke to me, it made sense.”