NINE months after opening its doors, a groundbreaking £8m neurological rehabilitation centre is mending fractured lives as well as treating patients who have suffered serious brain and spinal injuries.

The Gateway in Middlesbrough is redefining the traditional image of a care home with its boutique hotel style bedrooms complete with mini fridges and Orla Kiely wallpaper and an outdoor terrace reminiscent of a Manhatten rooftop bar.

Andy Lewis, is a regular in its gym and has frequent Reiki sessions to help keep him calm and release endorphins.

He suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage a rare type of stroke caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain which can be fatal.

He said: “I was on life support for six months and in a coma for a month. I was 21 and in the prime of my life but I lost my home, my fiancee and my job. I became very depressed.”

“There was not the support then that there is now, my parents encouraged me to go to a gym but coming here where there is so much is just fantastic,” added the 47-year-old from Linthorpe in Middlesbrough who has become a personal health peer at Tees Valley, Durham and North Yorkshire Neurological Alliance.

The charity estimates that there are more than 35,000 people live with a neurological condition across the region.

The main building at The Gateway which is run by healthcare specialist, Keiro Group, has 40 beds with sophisticated medical equipment as well as a hydrotherapy pool, spa, sauna, and a cafe which are also open to the public.

Its brightly coloured architecture has won a haul of design awards and the 12 transitional houses and bungalows in its grounds run by Erimus Housing were well used during the recent Middlehaven Festival, the first of its kind in the Tees Valley to have full disabled access.

Paula Thomas was in a wheelchair after suffering a severe spinal injury which left her with poor mobility. She spent six weeks receiving intensive therapy at The Gateway, where she managed to lose three stone but regained her confidence.

“Before coming here I had no life, I wouldn’t go out so I felt really low,” said the 45-year-old who returns to The Gateway three times a week. “When I came I could only manage 12 lengths of the pool but now I can do a hundred and I’m training for a charity swim."

Now able to walk unaided, she also credited The Gateway for helping her to cook and was especially proud of the cheesecake she made in its specially adapted kitchen.

“I have goals now and I push myself, it has really brought me out of my shell,” she added.