QPR are confident Rowan Vine will pull on a first-team shirt by the beginning of March.

In an amazing recovery, the good news for the forward bought for £2m in January last year is that his smashed tibia has finally healed and he is able to run freely with a view to full training in the next week or so.

Vine fractured both fibula and tibia when he collided with American keeper Matt Pickens in a freak training accident on April 3.

At the time, it was estimated the 26-year-old would be out for six months, but come October he suffered a setback when told the bones weren’t knitting together properly.

It got worse a month later when x-rays confirmed the former Birmingham player would need further surgery with the club privately fearing he would miss the rest of the campaign.

However, it looks as if Vine’s woe is at an end after physio Paul Hunter confirmed the player has a chance to be a part of Rangers final push towards the play-offs.

Hunter said: "If Rowan shows the same effort and desire he's shown over the last few months, I am in no doubt that he will be back and available for selection soon."

Vine’s recovery is one of the reasons why Emmanuel Ledesma was allowed to leave this week, with the way clear for the recovered forward to challenge Lee Cook for the left-wing spot.