Joy as bridge fall teenager returns to East Lancashire

2:53pm Friday 11th April 2008

Comments (2)   Have your say »

THE MOTHER of a Pendle teenager who was left paralysed after falling 20ft off a bridge has spoken of her joy of having her daughter back in the area.

Chloe Holgate, 17 of Newchurch-in-Pendle, suffered spinal injuries and became paralysed from the chest down after she fell backwards off a bridge in Higherford.

On Monday she was moved to the Rakeshead Rehabilitation Centre at Burnley General Hospital after a six-month spell in the spinal injury unit at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.

She has lost all mobility from her chest down and is only able to move her arms, shoulders and thumbs.

The accident happened on September 29, Chloe and a friend were sitting on the Higherford bridge parpet near the Bridge Inn when she fell down a 20ft drop to the dry riverbed.

She was taken by ambulance to Burnley General Hospital but was later transferred to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.

Following the accident, her mother Liz Simpson had to give up her job at the Pendle Inn in Barley and has been living at the hospital in Sheffield to be at her daughter's bedside.

And now she said the family are selling their house in Newchurch-in-Pendle and are looking to buy a home with a double garage and a downstairs bedroom to make life easier for Chloe.

Mrs Simpson said:"It has been a tough time for the family.

"It has been hard having to travel back and forth to Sheffield to visit Chloe. It is fantastic to have her back in the local area.

"Chloe has been amazing through the whole thing. She is really determined to not let her stop her living her life to the full.

"When I realised the extent of her injuries it was the most awful feeling.

"She has improved over the past six months but she still cannot remember the accident.

"She has had to learn how to feed herself use her laptop again so she is more self-sufficient.

"She is really pleased to be back home again and has been inundated with visitors."

Chloe was studying Law, Business, accountancy and sociology A-levels at Nelson and Colne College when the accident happened.

She has amazed friends by telling them she wants to return to college to finish her studies and has aspirations to study criminal law at university in London.

Family and friends are now trying to raise £12,000 to buy a specailised electric wheelchair.

A fundrasing auction is being held at the Pendle Inn in Barley on June 7.

Anyone wanting to donate an item for the auction or donate money should contact Bev Lancaster on 01282 604634 or Deborah Mousely on 01282 691436.