'I would have either lost my leg or died. I owe my entire life to them'

A mum-of-five has thanked air ambulance heroes who saved her life after a horror smash.

Abigail Richardson, 28, was a front-seat passenger in a Land Rover which veered off a rural road and hit a tree just days before Christmas. Four of her children were also in the car at the time, but thankfully they escaped injury, as did her husband.

But Abigail was airlifted to hospital after she was cut free from the wreckage by fire crews. The door frame and dashboard crushed her left leg, trapping her inside as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

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Now - almost two years on from the crash on December 22, 2022 - Abigail, from Sandbach, Cheshire, has made a recovery and met the crew from the North West Air Ambulance who flew to her aid.

Reflecting on the collision, she said: "Words can't express how grateful I am to the North West Air Ambulance Charity. Without the extrication, splinting and drugs they provided, I would undoubtedly have either lost my leg or worse, died.

"I owe my entire life to them. The internal bleeding and injuries were just so severe that I would not have stood a chance. I still need surgery on my leg but I'm doing lots better now. Last year, I was in a wheelchair every day and my mobility was next to nothing.

"I was in bed for six months out of the whole year and couldn't even walk to my kitchen. They truly are an amazing charity and I'm proud to support them through fundraising and raising awareness of the vital work they do."

The charity said Abigail was 'at risk of experiencing catastrophic bleeding', but the crew managed to climb into the Land Rover to administer aid. The smash happened on the road between Northwich and