South Yorkshire: Teenager fights for life after hit-and-run

Danielle Stoton, 18, was critically injured in a collision with a car in Armthorpe, near Doncaster, as she walked home from a party in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Police have arrested two women, aged 23 and 26, in connection with the incident and both have been bailed pending further enquiries.

Now Danielle’s heartbroken parents say they are hoping for a second miracle – after revealing their daughter “died” at the age of six after slipping and hitting her head in a swimming pool and almost drowning.

Family friend Lesley Winder helped to save Danielle after the holiday accident by performing CPR, and has now joined the teenager’s mother Michelle and father Paul to keep a bedside vigil.

Mrs Stoton, 41, said she hoped Lesley could work another miracle for Danielle and bring her back to the family.

“She drowned when she was six years old,” said Mrs Stoton. “We were on holiday in Andalucía. She slipped and banged her head, then lost consciousness and slipped underwater.

“Her lungs filled with water and a man fished her out. She was dead and looked blue. I worked on a children’s ward as an auxiliary nurse so I knew.

“My friend Lesley gave her CPR and after a couple of minutes she vomited. She was taken to hospital by ambulance and put on a ventilator.

“In the night she woke up, and that’s when she said she had seen a light.”

Mrs Stoton added: “I believe in these things. Perhaps Lesley can work a miracle again and bring her back to us.”

Danielle suffered serious head injuries in the collision which happened at about 1.50am last Sunday.

Mrs and Mrs Stoton, of Armthorpe, have been at their daughter’s bedside in the neuro critical unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield since the incident.

The family were told on Tuesday that Danielle – who is due to have a brace of four years removed from her mouth this week – has no spinal injury. However, the extent of the trauma to her brain is not yet clear.

Mrs Stoton added: “Her jaw was broken and the segment broke off and touched her brain. She has a massive cut in her neck and one under her lip. She has lost her top four teeth.

“They sat her up on Tuesday and she looked better, but she is on life support, has a chest infection and is allergic to penicillin.

“We were told it would be Thursday at least before she can be roused from her coma.”

Mr Stoton, 46, said: “We know at least that she is recognising sounds. I feel a lot better at that. My heart isn’t quite as broken.”

After recently shedding six stones in weight, Danielle had hoped to begin a sports science course next month in a bid to become a personal trainer with the RAF.

Mrs Stoton has kept the family’s hundreds of well-wishers informed on her daughter’s progress via Facebook, and said they have all been lifted by the heartwarming messages posted to them.

The community page Get Well Soon Danielle has been created, for which her mother said she will be “eternally grateful”.