Fabrice Muamba is continuing to make “strong and steady improvements” in his recovery from a cardiac arrest as he celebrated his 24th birthday yesterday.

Muamba collapsed on the pitch in the first half of Bolton’s FA Cup quarter-final at Tottenham on March 17th. It took 78 minutes for his heart to start pumping on its own again, but Muamba has made great progress and a week ago a picture of him sitting up in bed and smiling was posted on Twitter.

Bolton boss Owen Coyle said the player was on his feet and walking around the corridors of the intensive care unit.

However Coyle stressed that “he still has a long way to go, but the improvement has been remarkable and long may that continue”, said the Bolton manager.

“Fabrice Muamba continues to make strong and steady improvements and remains in the intensive care unit of the London Chest Hospital,” said the hospital.