'˜Miracle' at Clifford's Tower after mum runs over her pregnant daughter in car park

JUST four weeks before she was due to give birth, Vikki Lane suffered devastating injuries in a freak accident - and seven months on the shock is still with her family.
Ray and Vikki Lane with their son SamuelRay and Vikki Lane with their son Samuel
Ray and Vikki Lane with their son Samuel

But after amazing doctors with her remarkable recovery, her family and friends have another mission on their hands, raising £25,000 to thank the medics that saved her and her unborn son.

Mrs Lane, from Riccall in Selby, had been driven to work by her mother Alison Taylor in January when the accident happened.

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Her mother was parking up in the Clifford’s Tower car park, with Mrs Lane standing in front of the car, when she accidentally put her foot on the accelerator instead of the brake. She was hit and then shunted into the back of a parked van. The impact caused multiple injuries including a broken pelvis and badly broken legs.

Mrs Taylor, 59, said: “I was just in a complete state of shock. I could not believe what had happened and I still can’t really.”

Mrs Lane was airlifted by Yorkshire Air Ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary where, once stabilised, her son Samuel was safely delivered. Mrs Lane, 34, then underwent a 12-hour operation to repair the four breaks in her pelvis.

“Samuel was born at 5.45pm and I did not meet him until 11am the next day,” said Mrs Lane. “Thankfully he was, and is, just perfect.”

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Mrs Lane spent a month in hospital following the accident in January, and has been through 36 hours of orthopaedic surgery since. She was wheelchair bound for six months, still has twice-weekly physiotherapy and can only walk short distances with a crutch.

“It has been very difficult but Samuel has been my motivation to get better,” Mrs Lane said. “He is our little miracle, and we’ve been having a joke about who will be walking properly first, Samuel or me.

“My mum, mother-in-law and best friend Laura have been living here and all my family, friends and local community have rallied round and given me loads of support.

“It has been seven months – which feels like a lifetime - and I know it will probably be another year before I’m fully recovered but the doctors have been amazed at my progress which will hopefully continue.”

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Mrs Lane’s husband Ray is now leading a fundraising campaign to raise as much money as possible for Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the Day One trauma care charity, based at Leeds General Infirmary.

The 35-year- old and the 14 other members of ‘Team Miracle’ are attempting the Coast-to-Coast Cycle Challenge next month – riding 153 miles from Whitehaven in Cumbria to Tynemouth on the North-East coast in just two days.

Mr Lane said: “We are looking to raise as much money as possible for both these charities in recognition of the help they gave Vikki and Samuel.

“I felt compelled to do something. We can’t thank the Air Ambulance crew and hospital teams enough for all they did and continue to do.”

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Regional fundraising manager at Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Bob Smailes, said: “What happened to Vikki was a freak accident, but we are just glad we were able to get her to Leeds General Infirmary as quickly as possible.

“It was such a relief to hear that little Samuel arrived safely and that he and Vikki have both continued to do so well. We are so grateful to Ray and his team of family and friends for taking on such a huge challenge not only to cycle the Coast to Coast but also setting themselves such an amazing fundraising target.”

The fundraisers have already raised over £3,000 of their target, which will be split between Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Day One.

The Air Ambulance needs to raise £12,000 a day to keep its two helicopters flying. Pubs in Riccall have collection boxes on the bar and Ami’s Hair Salon in the village has already raised nearly £700 for the rapid response emergency charity.

Day One, which helps people across Yorkshire, has funded physio equipment to assist in Mrs Lane’s recovery.