In the long dark days after she almost died in an accident at a York pelican crossing, horse-crazy Rachel Pickard could think of only one thing...

Rachel Pickard gives her pony, Bomber, a cuddle as she gets back in the saddle after recovering from a road accident.

The day when she could ride her beloved pony Bomber again.

Now, three months after the accident, her dreams have come true when she climbed back on the Welsh Mountain pony and trotted around an indoor arena, off Stockton Lane.

Rachel, nine, of Kirkdale Road, Osbaldwick, suffered severe internal injuries when she and four other children were hit by a car shunted forward at a crossing in Hull Road last October.

But her recovery has continued apace, and she has recently returned to school and has even started swimming again.

However, it was the chance to get back on her pony that really mattered.

"She is horse mad," said her mother, Shirley.

"There were pictures of Bomber and horse posters all over her room at the hospital, on the outside of the door, the inside of the door and the walls. She even had a tuft of Bomber's hair on the wall.

"She would have had Bomber on the ward with her if she could! The doctors allowed her out for a couple of hours to go and see Bomber at one point when she was feeling a bit down."

The joy of riding Bomber was clearly shown on Rachel's face. Afterwards she said: "It was very good.

"Bomber and I have been together a long time and it was great to see him again. The thought that he is here has helped me through the past few months and I think he was as happy to see me as I was to see him."

Rachel's friend Claire Smith had helped look after the horse.

Doctors told Rachel she could start riding the pony, which is stabled at Rowes Cottage Farm Livery Yard, by mid-January. Mrs Pickard said Rachel took this to mean January 15, and she had a job persuading her to wait until Saturday, the 16th, before she got back on Bomber.

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