Jean Greenwood, head of Clifton Preparatory School, is welcomed back by, from back left, Frankie Cross, Cathy Prowde, Gregory Bowler, and front, from left, Edward Frost, Ella Nadian and Marcus Bage

One year after escaping a head-on car crash with her life, headteacher Jean Greenwood is celebrating being back with the pupils and staff that helped her through her recovery.

Mrs Greenwood, from Newton-on-Ouse, received massive injuries in the crash last year, which happened when she was driving to work in York early on a Monday morning after a weekend in Masham.

Her car was in collision with an HGV and she had to be cut out of the car before being rushed to the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, undergoing surgery on her leg, then being moved to Middlesbrough General Hospital.

Her most severe injuries were to her left leg and her skull, which was fractured in three places, and she was unconscious for a week after the accident.

Today, Mrs Greenwood, head at Clifton Preparatory School in York, can remember little about that time, and her memories begin two days before she left Middlesbrough for a six-week stay in the St John of God Hospital in Scorton, near Richmond.

What she can remember is all the cards and messages she received from friends, family, pupils, staff and parents during the time at Scorton and then at home.

"At Christmas, the school made a video for me and each class said 'We wish you a Merry Christmas and hope you get better soon'.

"When you get this age group of children it's a bit like having a big family."

Her deputy Paula Arkley became acting head and she and secretary Judy Sunderland kept her in touch with what was happening at school.

She started back at work full time in April and since then has got rid of one of her crutches and hopes to be walking unaided

"I was determined to come back. I'm not good at sitting at home doing nothing," she said.

Mrs Greenwood, 51, who has two grown-up children Chris, 27, and Amanda, 25, admitted that she had been very lucky to escape the accident with her life.

"It brings home to you just how you have got to make the most of life," she said.

"Nobody knows what's going to happen."

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