A WETHERBY woman who was told she might never walk again after a motorbike crash has told how she rebuilt her life after being rescued by an air ambulance service.

Claire King, 43, was left with life-threatening head and pelvic injuries when she came off her motorbike on the A171 near Whitby in 2003 and was trapped under a van.

She was freed by a fire crew from Whitby, with help from a passing group of soldiers from the Green Howards regiment, and the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) cared for her at the scene before flying her to hospital in Scarborough.

Although she was left with life-threatening head and pelvis injuries Claire spent nearly four years learning to walk again, and has said she owes her life the GNAAS.

The mother-of-two said: “I was told that due to the nature of my injuries and the blood I lost at the scene, I would not have made it to hospital by road. I cannot remember the accident or being in the aircraft.”

Mandy Drake, head of fundraising at GNAAS, said: “It’s great to see how well Claire has recovered considering her injuries.

“This year is the twentieth anniversary of air ambulances in the North East and Claire is a shining example of just how important this charity-funded service is to the entire region.”