HER life hung in the balance after she suffered appalling injuries in a road accident less than three weeks ago.

Ten-year-old Charlotte Leighton's skull was fractured, one of her eye sockets was shattered, her jaw was broken in three places, eight of her teeth were knocked out and she almost bit through her tongue.

But after being flown to hospital in an air ambulance, the North Yorkshire youngster became the first person in Britain to undergo a pioneering form of facial reconstruction surgery - and the first in the world to have the same treatment to her jaw.

The procedure involved moulding special plates to the shape of the face, to hold the facial and jaw bones in place until they mend.

Unlike traditional metal plates, screws and wiring, which would need to be removed at a later date, Charlotte's plates - made of a special compound - will eventually disintegrate harmlessly.

Incredibly, the little girl was yesterday able to return to her home at Tollerton, near Easingwold, as she made a remarkable recovery from her injuries.

Her parents, Sue and Colin, agreed to tell her story to the Evening Press today to thank all the medical staff who saved her life and rebuilt her face, and also to plead for more funding so that others can benefit from the same surgery in future.

They said Charlotte was in collision with a car on March 16 as she was waiting for the bus to Forest of Galtres Primary School, at Shipton-by-Beningbrough.

"She badly broke her right leg, but also suffered a fractured skull, her right eye socket was shattered, her nose was shattered, and her jaw was broken in three places," said Colin.

"Eight teeth were knocked out, and she almost completely bit through her tongue and also bit through her lip."

The couple said one of the passers-by who stopped to help, Rob Croft, told the emergency services that an air ambulance was urgently needed, and one was quickly despatched. Colin said he and Charlotte were flown to Leeds General Infirmary in ten minutes.

"I am convinced the air ambulance saved her life," he said.

"When we got there, landing on the hospital roof, there were 23 members of staff waiting for us, including doctors, nurses, anaesthetists and neurosurgeons.

"She was very cold and her pulse was very weak. She was also bleeding from the ear. They didn't know if she had brain damage, and they didn't know if she would ever see or speak again."

The couple said that a surgeon offered to carry out an operation he had performed before in Germany, but not in Britain, using plates made of a special compound. "He had the equipment flown over from Germany," said Sue.

"It's absolutely fantastic. We are so grateful. We just want to give a big thank you to the surgeon but also all the other staff at the hospital, and the air ambulance. They were brilliant." She said she and Colin planned to raise funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance in future.

She also thanked family and friends, and teachers, staff and pupils at Charlotte's school, and also local residents who had given the family fantastic support at a traumatic time.

She said Charlotte had received many scores of get well cards and gifts.

"I can honestly say it has been the worst three weeks of my life. We are just pleased we have got her back."

Updated: 12:56 Wednesday, April 05, 2006