A MAN battling a mystery brain condition has again raised thousands of pounds from an annual football fun day.

Andrew Baker, 25, from Didcot, has now donated more than £33,000 to the Oxford Children’s Hospital after having brain surgery as a child.

The former St Birinus pupil raised £4,812 this year with his Play2Give football fun day in June.

The event saw 13 boys teams raise cash to take part at the Oxford City Football Club ground.

A cheque was presented to the hospital last month and the Oxford City Nomads under 9s football team has received a special trophy for raising the most cash out of any of the teams.

Mr Baker, who lives in King Walk on the Great Western Drive estate, said it was great to see “kids helping kids”.

He said: “It’s a great fun day. They always really enjoy it.”

Mr Baker, who has born with a brain injury, underwent major surgery aged 12 to remove a haematoma in his skull formed after he was knocked over at primary school when he was eight.

In 2003, he raised his first £1,000 for the Children’s Hospital by getting pupils and teachers at St Birinus School to take part in a non-school uniform day.

Six years later, he smashed his £20,000 target, having raised £22,600 through fun nights, sponsored walks and the football tournaments run by his Play2Give charity.

He said: “I had been treated throughout childhood since birth for various medical problems after being born with a brain injury.

“The major brain surgery I had aged 12 at the Radcliffe Infirmary is behind my fundraising debt of gratitude back to the children's hospital.”

Mr Baker, who volunteers for brain injury charity Headway Oxford in Kennington, had to take a break from fundraising for two years when his condition worsened in 2009.

Yesterday he said: “To have smashed over nearly £33,000 in over a decade feels pretty special.

“I’m really pleased how supportive how everyone has been.

“All the things I’ve done I could not have done without the support I have had.”

Mr Baker has also raised more than £3,000 for charities including the Footsteps Foundation and Bone Cancer Research.

His charity is now organising a fundraising entertainment evening in February with Didcot Rugby Club and Mr Baker plans to hold the football fun day again next July.

For details visit play2give.org.uk