Ely Tigers Rugby Club player Stacy Mould returned home from hospital on Tuesday after a month-long battle with coronavirus.

“Thank you to all my friends and family,” he said. “There is plenty of way to go yet and plenty of hard yards to put in,” he said.

Club chairman Chris Day said: “We are over the moon.

“He contacted me personally; it was fantastic, and I felt quite emotional. His wife Sarah has been amazing in dealing with this whole process.

“She has always kept calm and done what she had to do for the kids and Stacy.”

Whilst he’s been in hospital, Sarah has raised over £2,300 for staff at the intensive care unit (ICU) at Peterborough City Hospital where her husband was first treated.

Well-wishes from across the local rugby community have flooded in for Stacy and a celebration is planned for when the present lockdown ends.

Stacy, who is a popular figure amongst many local and regional clubs, thanked those who have supported him in the fight against coronavirus.

Paying tribute to his wife, Stacy described her as “the most incredible woman in the world.

“Not many could sort five kids, a husband in critical condition and a household”.

Club members have told Stacy they can’t wait to welcome him back to the Cambridge Commodities Park, the Tigers home ground.

Mr Day said it had been an anxious wait to hear news of Stacy’s return to health.

“It was something which for many at the club had gone through quite a lot of worrying,” he said.

“We have not had our end-of-season event yet, so at some point during the summer, we would invite Stacy and others and have a mini celebration around him.

“Stacy had a couple of days of assisted walking, which he found frustrating, but Sarah can welcome him home and plan a few days to shut away from the world.”

He added: “Stacy has worked so hard and the fact he has come through is a fantastic achievement.

“Stacy is a fighter and a hugely popular member of the club and it has really hit home how awful this disease is. Please do all you can to stay safe and stay within the Government guidelines.”

To donate, visit Sarah’s JustGiving page at https://bit.ly/3dF1dXG.