CHERRIES star Jason Tindall is hoping he can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel in his painstaking battle to regain full fitness.

Tindall has endured three minor operations in the space of 12 months in an attempt to cure a persistent knee injury.

The 26-year-old made a handful of brief substitute appearances at the end of last season - but has not started a game for more than a year.

But despite his frustrations, the popular Londoner received a boost last month when he was told the injury is not as serious as was first feared.

Tindall told the Daily Echo: "I had a scan and it revealed some bone bruising. It's still a bit of a nightmare because it's a long process and needs a lot of rest.

"There were other concerns and we thought there may have been problems elsewhere, but the scan was compared with the one I had six months ago and it showed only the bruising.

"It was good news in a way because at least you know where you stand and how far away you are from fitness. It takes three months to settle down and clear up and I did it in July so I'm more or less there or thereabouts now."

Tindall's right knee started to trouble him after he twisted it when he came on as a 75th-minute substitute during Cherries' FA Cup second round tie against Accrington Stanley in December.

But he believes the initial damage was done when he was the victim of a reckless late tackle by Paul Furlong during a 1-0 defeat at QPR at the start of last season.

Dogged by injuries for the past two years - he had a knee cartilage operation in October 2002 and major ankle surgery in the summer 2003 - Tindall is still not setting himself any firm comeback targets.

He said: "When you set targets, you always try to achieve them and it can be disappointing and a setback if you don't. I've been disappointed too many times before. I'm taking each day as it comes and it's progressing nicely at the moment. I'm on the right track and I'm hoping to get back within the next couple of weeks, but we'll just have to wait and see.

"This week, it's felt the best it has felt for a long time which is a good sign. But I've learnt before that I can't really get too carried away because every time I step things up, a bit of fluid appears which is understandable because that's what bone bruising produces.

"But if it keeps progressing like it has over the last week or so then hopefully I'm not too far away."