The caver's ordeal began after he fell 50 feet and was crushed by a boulder on Saturday. Mr Linnane, from Bristol, was exploring the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu caves in the Brecon Beacons, Wales. The effort to save Mr Linnane was one of Britain's largest cave rescue efforts, involving 250 people.

       Mr Linnane's mother, called Sally Linnane-Hemmens, said the tense wait for her son to be rescued was “horrendous”.

       Mr Linnane's mother praised the heroic rescue team who saved her son's life.

       She has now set up a fundraiser for the South and Mid-Wales Cave Rescue Team which led the operation.

       Mrs Linnane-Hemmens posted on the fundraising page: “These guys, along with several other cave rescue teams from across the UK, saved my son’s life.

       “He had been trapped underground for 50 hours-plus.

       "He is badly injured.”

       To free the caver from his entrapment rescuers had to swim through a swollen underground stream.

       Mr Linnane was then transported on a floating stretcher that had to be lifted 90ft through a vertical chasm with the stretcher on ropes.

       Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Michael Thomas, a friend of Mr Linnane who spent many hours underground with his friend, joked online: “The first thing he got from me was stick.

       "He made me go down bloody dim water entrance to reach him.”

       Mr Linnane has travelled the world with his French girlfriend.

       The caver's girlfriend, who asked not to be named, last night said: “We are obviously very grateful to all the rescuers.”