A New Jersey woman -- who earlier this week tumbled off a second storey balcony as she tried to tackle a thief caught lurking in her hotel room -- remains bedridden at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital with a compression fracture in her back and broken ankle.

Police meanwhile have arrested a man in connection with the incident and have released him on bail; he is scheduled to reappear at Somerset Police station in April, Police spokesman P.c. Gary Venning yesterday told The Royal Gazette .

Kim and Bill Braunschweiger, both 43, and their children were one day into their weeklong Bermuda vacation when fate struck in the early hours of Monday morning.

Mrs. Braunschweiger suffered a compression fracture of one her vertebrae -- in addition to the broken ankle -- when she fell off the balcony of her room after interrupting an alleged burglar.

"You always wonder how you would react in that situation,'' said Mr.

Braunschweiger, who recalled the couple's struggle and the irony of hearing the intruder curse at them as he fought to escape.

Mrs. Braunschweiger was taken by ambulance to hospital and has spent the rest of her vacation flat on her back and in pain. She has been unable to put any weight on her back and therefore can't use a wheelchair or crutches, said Mr.

Braunschweiger.

Instead of "letting themselves go'', the rest of family has spent their fourth vacation on the Island shuttling between the hospital and the Mermaid Beach Club.

"I guess we're feeling a little stranded here; we haven't had much help or heard from any organisation offering to help us out. There's no doubt we'd rather be at home but we have no idea how long (Kim) is going to be in the hospital,'' said Mr. Braunschweiger. And because of her condition Mrs.

Braunschweiger -- while in a good frame of mind -- is unable to travel, he told The Royal Gazette .

The family was scheduled to fly home to Bernard's Hill, New Jersey, today aboard Continental Airlines said Mr. Braunschweiger, but those plans could now be in jeopardy. Yesterday, he said they hope to leave tomorrow.

"It all depends on Kim and how she's feeling; she may get out by the weekend but she may not. From my conversations with (the airline), I don't think she's able to travel except in the sitting position.'' Mr. Braunschweiger meanwhile, was unsure whether his private medical coverage would cover the costs of an air ambulance from the Island.

"It would be nice to get a phone call from someone like the Tourism Bureau offering to help out a little.'' Yet despite the ordeal the family has not been put off Bermuda.

"Something like this can't help but change your perception. But I think we'd come back; we can't blame Bermuda.'' Visitor's nightmare Mr. Braunschweiger meanwhile heaped praise on the Police and staff at the Mermaid Beach Club: "The Police have offered all kinds of assistance and the Mermaid has been super. Every individual we've come into contact with has been wonderful,'' he said.

But still he wondered, where's the community when you need it? Bill Braunschweiger TOURISM TOU HOSPITAL HOS