A MOTHER has told of the moment she heard her family were involved in a major car collision on Boxing Day.
Deborah Doddy’s twins, Max and Halle, both seven, were seriously hurt in the four-car pile-up and were taken to hospital.
Her husband, Andrew, and two other sons were also involved in the incident, near Kirkleatham roundabout on the A174, near Redcar at about 10.15am.
Max was flown to James Cook University Hospital by the Great North Air Ambulance and sister Halle by the Cleveland Police Helicopter.
Shortly afterwards Mrs Doddy, of Briargate, Eston, near Middlesbrough, was called by her son, Charlie, 15, from the scene. The teenager was so shocked he could hardly talk.
She said: “I thought I'd lost them. It was a massive shock, a terrible thing to happen at Christmas time. Charlie was hysterical when he called me. Then this woman passer-by from another car told me to go straight to the hospital."
The accident also involved the Doddy family’s Ford Mondeo and also an Audi, a Porsche and a Landrover Discovery.
Twins Max and Halle were the worst hurt but Halle, who had a gash to her head, has now been released. Max was taken first into intensive care with a broken leg, broken collar bone and broken ribs.
Both were visited in hospital by Middlesbrough's former X Factor star Amelia Lily on Friday, December 28.
The twins’ mother, an executive assistant for a communications firm, said she was "so relieved" to be told by hospital staff that the pair were expected to make a full recovery.
Mr Doddy, 43, a materials controller, who had been driving the car, had chest and arm injuries but was later discharged from hospital. Son Joe, 11, suffered slight facial injuries.
The family had gone to Redcar for a Boxing Day dip. Mr Doddy and the boys went into the sea, with Max wearing his favourite Spiderman suit.
Mrs Doddy said: "They were doing it to raise funds for Grangetown Football Club. Both Joe and Max play for Grangetown Boys.
"This the first time Max has done it. He's a happy-go-lucky lad, he’s gorgeous and a keen footballer. Halle is very cheeky and mischievous. The staff at James Cook have been so kind and excellent."
The family still expect to still take part in next year’s Boxing Day dip.
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