A teenager who broke her neck in a car crash presented a cheque to some of the people who made her miraculous recovery possible.

Deanne Russell, 17, was air-lifted to Whitechapel Hospital in London by Essex Air Ambulance following the accident in Hampstead Avenue, Clacton, in November.

A former pupil at Colbayns High School, Clacton, Deanne's family and friends raised £270.50 to show their thanks for their help in getting her to hospital swiftly.

They presented their efforts to paramedic supervisor Bob Clarke, at Clacton Ambulance Station, on Saturday.

Her mum, Penny Russell, said: "We're very grateful to them and we just felt we had to do something to say thank you."

Despite fears at one stage that Deanne could be left paralysed, she suffers from restricted movement in her neck, where surgeons inserted a 4in plate to repair the damage.

Mrs Russell said: "She's doing brilliantly. She's got to have some physiotherapy now to get her strength back and she'll go back to work when she feels ready."

Much of the cash was raised by Deanne's granddad and ex-SAS soldier, Roy, with other National Malaya and Borneo Veterans' Association members at a party in December.

Published Tuesday, February 25, 2003

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