Willie Thorne: Former snooker star placed into induced coma in Spain
Last updated on .From the section Snooker
Former snooker star and BBC commentator Willie Thorne has been placed into an induced coma in hospital after suffering respiratory failure.
The 66-year-old, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in March, was taken to hospital in Spain last week with dangerously low blood pressure.
Thorne reached two World Championship quarter-finals during his career.
A GoFundMe page set up to help pay for Thorne's treatment had passed £17,000 by Tuesday afternoon.
"The doctor called me yesterday to inform me that on Sunday Willie went into respiratory failure and he is now in an induced coma and mechanical ventilation," wrote Thorne's carer Julie O'Neill.
"They are treating him with three different antibiotics for three types of infections, which appear to be consuming him at this time.
"We are all hoping that the treatments the hospital are giving him while in this induced coma will help to improve his overall condition and at some point enable him to breathe on his own and be brought out of this coma."
Thorne won the Mercantile Credit Classic in 1982, his only ranking title, later becoming a BBC commentator and appearing on the 2007 edition of Strictly Come Dancing.
