Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer returns to training ground after cardiac arrest

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer has returned to the training ground, nearly eight months after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch.

The club announced Lockyer would be continuing rehabilitation work on his own.

It said the 29-year-old would be starting the next phase of his rehabilitation.

In a statement on its website the club said "Tom has been under the guidance and care of leading consultants in London and Amsterdam, where he has been completing the most recent phase of his rehabilitation at a specialist clinic.

"For now, Tom will work individually back at The Brache, but his very presence around the training ground will be welcomed by all of his teammates, manager Rob Edwards and the coaching staff.

"Whilst continuing his rehab, Tom will continue his work with the British Heart Foundation in spreading the importance of knowing CPR and how to use a defibrillator, and he will now be focussing fully on his next stage of the rehabilitation.

"We ask that he is allowed to do this at his own pace, in private, to ultimately give himself the best chance of completing the next phases of his rehabilitation program."

The Welsh footballer collapsed on the pitch during a game against Bournemouth in December.

He has previously spoken about his near-death experience, and spoke about the importance of CPR after he said his life was saved on the field.

He has since undergone surgery and had a "heart-starter" device implanted.

He was back at the training ground at the end of January to meet players and staff, but had not been back training on the grass until now.

The incident in December was the second time in just over six months that Lockyer had collapsed on the field, after having suffered atrial fibrillation during May's Championship play-off final.

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