A WOMAN who was seriously injured after an horrific collision with a bus in Ludlow has thanked the doctor whose quick work helped save her life.

Jo Stevens, of Newbury, Berkshire, was doing some Christmas shopping with three friends in the town in November 2008 when a bus mounted the pavement outside the Feathers Hotel.

The driver, 71-year-old Alan Taylor, of Cleobury Mortimer, had collapsed at the wheel prior to the accident and was confirmed dead at the scene.

Mrs Stevens, aged 34, sustained a fractured pelvis, multiple rib injuries and a fractured lower back and was in a critical condition. She was also bleeding heavily and had difficulty breathing.

Dr Malcolm Russell, of Mercia Accident Rescue Service (MARS), was called to the scene and applied a pelvic splint and gave her pain killing drugs.

“I went with her in the ambulance to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and she was going into more shock and was going in and out of consciousness,”

said Dr Russell.

“I phoned the hospital and told them that she needed to be resuscitated by blood, because she was bleeding so badly.”

Mrs Stevens was given emergency surgery and was eventually transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

She was only able to walk unattended four months later and is still under medication.

“If it wasn’t for Malcolm I wouldn’t be here,” said Mrs Stevens. “The work that he and MARS do is fantastic and I just want to thank him. I’m a very lucky girl.”

Mrs Stevens is currently raising money for MARS and generated £540 through a half-marathon that her brother did in Reading in March.

Around 40 people will also be joining her by running, rowing and cycling the equivalent of a journey from Newbury to Ludlow and back at her local gym on July 10.

A total of £2,500 has already been raised and the aim is to get up to £3,100, which will buy a pre-hospital care kit.

Dr Russell said: “We often lose touch with patients that we treat so it is very nice to see Jo and to see how she is getting on.

“Ours is only a small charity, so we are very grateful to her for the money that she has raised.”

To sponsor Mrs Stevens, visit the website justgiving.com/jo-stevens.