'I've been through something and survived': The Basingstoke woman saved by the air ambulance
A mother from Hampshire who suffered terrible head injuries after being hit by a motorbike, is sharing her story to thank the medics who saved her life.
Claire Clarke, from Basingstoke, was put in an induced coma and her family was told she was unlikely to survive without severe brain damage.
As part of her treatment, a section of her skull was removed and kept in her abdomen to allow her brain to swell safely.
Six years on from the accident she's made a full recovery, crediting quick response of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance for giving her the best chance of survival.
Claire had been walking her daughters back from school when a motorbike crashed into her.
"I fell backwards head first fracturing my skull which made the brain jolt forward smacking itself against the skull itself," she explained.
"I was then out cold."
Her injuries were life threatening, with paramedics calling out Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.
She was flown to the neurology department at Southampton General Hospital where surgeons performed an emergency craniotomy - removing part of her skull to let the brain swell safely.
"They popped [the piece of skull] in my abdomen for safe keeping to keep it fresh and alive," Claire said.
She then spent nine days in an induced coma, followed by a long stay in hospital with part of her skull missing.
"I was in hospital for several weeks with no skull flap.
"I literally had masking tape across my forehead saying no skull flap and a nice blue helmet."
It has been a remarkable and long road to recovery, but Claire is most grateful to the crews of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance that were able to get her to hospital in minutes.
Alex Lochrane, Chief Executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, said the critical care teams were "vital in saving [Claire's] life".
"She had a very bad head injury, a very bad bleed on the brain.
"The fact that our teams could administer the kind of care that is usually only available in the resus bay of a hospital at the kerbside saved her life."
The aircraft, operating our of Thruxton Aerodrome, near Andover, costs £15,000 a day to operate.
Claire has decided to raise money for the charity, shaving her hair off on the sixth anniversary of the accident.
It's the first time she has seen her scars since it happened, but she said they are a "badge of honour."
"It's something that can be looked back on with a bit of pride and go forward and live your life to the most.
"And in the meantime, I'll raise money for the Hants and isle of wight air ambulance because they need the money to keep these happy stories going."