Eaglescliffe woman praises medics after being hit by bus

Carole Attle spent several weeks in intensive care at James Cook University Hospital after the crash

A woman who was left with serious injuries when she was struck by a bus has praised the medics who helped to save her.

Carole Attle, from Eaglescliffe, was placed into an induced coma after the crash in Stockton, last year.

The 74-year-old widow recovered, despite her family being told to prepare for the worst.

"I could have sworn my husband was in bed beside me, he was saying there's no room upstairs," she said.

This week, she met the paramedics at the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAAS) who helped respond to the emergency.

'Induced coma'

Ms Attle had just finished shopping in Matalan when she was struck by the bus near Stockton's High Street on 28 July.

She had suffered several serious injuries and a head trauma and was placed into an induced coma at the scene.

She was taken to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough with injuries including a broken eye socket, six broken ribs and a bleed on the brain.

"After that I know nothing until five weeks later when I woke up in a hospital bed," she said.

Ms Attle said she felt like she was spurred on by her late husband while in intensive care.

Carole Attle was reunited with GNAAS medics

"I don't know whether it was real or what," she said.

"[He said] 'we don't want you going to the other place, so get yourself pulled round and fighting and get out of here' - and I think I turned a corner after that."

Her daughter Rebecca Dowson, 50, said she had to have "at least four difficult conversations" with doctors who said "she wasn't going to make it".

But Ms Attle defied the odds, made a recovery several months later and returned home.

At the GNAAS headquarters, also in Eaglescliffe, the family praised the medics including first responders who helped saved Ms Attle's life.

"I've still got my mum and that to me is priceless," Ms Dowson added.