A MOTHER-OF-THREE from North Yorkshire has told how she has had to learn how to live again after an attack left her with life-changing brain injuries.

The injuries Lorraine Venning sustained while she attempted to prevent the landlord of her local pub being attacked by a drunken gang of men has affected her sight, hearing, walking and ability to carry out simple day-to-day tasks.

The 46-year-old hairdresser had been in the Royal Oak, in Pateley Bridge, for a friend’s 40th birthday party dressed as a pirate when the drunken gang began attacking the landlord and customers.

She stepped in to try and stop the fracas, but was punched to the floor and suffered a fractured eye socket which led to a bleed on her brain resulting in two seizures.

She said: “I have had to re-learn basic life skills, from reading to making myself a cup of tea.

“I used to be a full-time, single mother of children. Due to this incident, my children lost their mother. To them, the lady who returned from neurology rehabilitation was a different mum.”

Lorraine spoke out after six men from Doncaster were jailed for more than 15 years for their part in the brawl.

At York Crown Court, Gavin Poole, 18, admitted violent disorder and two assaults and was jailed for three and a half years. Dean Macalister, 28, and Lewis Curry, 21 both got two and half years in prison.

Nathan Bridges, 21, was jailed for two years, nine months and Dean Wilkes, 24, was jailed for 12 months. All admitted violent disorder.

Ricky Ellery, 25, denied violent disorder but was convicted and sentenced to three years, nine months in prison.