Video and pictures: Big day for poorly Telford schoolboy Matthew as he visits his class

It was the first time he had visited his school since August, when he was diagnosed with brain and spinal cancer.

Matthew then suffered strokes after surgery, which left him paralysed.

But during his visit yesterday his parents Leigh and Sue, who have been by his side throughout, said he was getting stronger every day.

He can now move his hands and health professionals caring for him said he was making excellent progress.

The appeal to help bring Matthew back home has reached the £25,000 mark.

The Bring Matt Home Fund was set up by his school to help pay for renovations to the Cooper family's home in Trench to enable Matthew to return home.

Leigh, 50, said his son is in between treatments, as he has just finished his radiotherapy and is due to start chemotherapy soon.

He said: "It means so much to us that Matthew was able to come and visit his school and see his friends. He is doing so well and he is getting stronger.

"At the moment we are waiting for a date, as we are not sure when Matthew will be starting his chemo, but he has just finished his radiotherapy which he responded well too.

"Before coming here we visited The Think Tank and the Sea Life Centre the other week, so it prepared us for the visit yesterday.

"He has loved seeing his friends, and it just gives him something to do and new faces to see as he is always in the ICU."

While visiting the school Matthew's family learned that the Bring Matt Home Fund, set up by headteacher Julie Henry, has now reached £25,000.

Foundry operations worker Leigh he could not believe the support and said it was "incredible" how the community had pulled together.

He said: "I really am just lost for words, it is just incredible to here how the community have all worked together to raise this money.

"When the school told us they were setting up a fund we expected it raise a few hundred pounds, but never did we think it would reach £25,000."

Sue said: "We would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported this fund, it means a lot to us."

The fund was set after the school learned the Coopers' home in Trench needed renovating to meet Matthew's needs before he could return home.

It would mean moving Matthew's bedroom downstairs as he is currently in a wheelchair.

Pupils then wrote to DIY SOS for help with the project, but the BBC show turned them down.

Following this the fund was set up and within days raised thousands of pounds for the work.

Mrs Henry said she has been amazed by the generosity of the community.

She said: "The fundraising has gone from strength to strength and the money is still coming in.

"I guess DIY SOS turning us down has been a blessing in disguise as it has shown the pupils that something amazing can come from bad news."

Mrs Henry said: "It has also shown the children that the world is full of nice people and they have loved doing all they can to raise the money.

"Starting on March 18 we have a week of fundraising, and we have so many children holding a stall, that we have had to split them into groups."

An architect has been drawing up plans for the home, which should be revealed to the family later this month.

Also with Matthew during his visit to the school was Daria Kuncewicz, one of the nurses from the ICU in Birmingham.

The senior communication support worker said she has seen a vast improvement compared to three months ago.

She said: "He really is doing amazingly and his mother and father are fantastic.

"They are registered carers now so they can do everything he requires – I am just part of the furniture now.

"But they are amazing, and they are so funny and always laughing despite what they are going through. Matthew is also improving every day and he can now move his hands, which is incredible.

"It's brilliant he has been able to come to his school and I know he is having a great time."