A 16-year-old has been left paralysed from the shoulders down following a collision during a football match.

Declan McDonald was playing for AC Rovers when he broke his neck during a game against EK Burgh on Saturday.

The teenager, who plays for the Airdrie and Coatbridge team, in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, was taken to hospital and has since undergone a 10-hour operation.

A statement said his teammates were “devastated” by his injury.

AC Rovers FC shared a post on Facebook which said: “Declan has suffered a broken neck and has no sensation from the shoulders down since the incident.

“This morning he has been through a 10-hour surgery on his neck and now as you will understand it is a waiting game, the current prognosis is Declan is highly unlikely to ever be able to walk again, hopefully with rehab and physio he will regain some feeling/use of his arms and hands.”

“We will post more information as it is available but the club asks if you can keep Declan in your thoughts and prayers over the coming weeks and months as he continues his rehabilitation.

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“Thanks to everyone who has reached out so far from all the family, his coaches and his team mates who are rightly shattered by this situation.”

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On X a second statement said: “As both Declan’s stepdad and the coach of the team I would like to thank the boys/parents of the team and everyone involved at EK Burgh for helping as best they could on the day.”

Declan plays for the 2007 age group of the club.

A fundraiser set up by his teammates raised more than £30,000, with the donors including several local football clubs.

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