A HEADTEACHER who survived an horrific crash which left his car a mangled wreck has returned to work in time for a glowing Ofsted report.

John Sudron was trapped in his vehicle for nearly an hour after it left the dual carriageway on the A19, slid along a barrier and smashed into a concrete parapet.

The VW Bora was completely crushed and rescuers initially feared the driver had not survived.

But they found Mr Sudron, headteacher at Lingdale Primary School, east Cleveland, stuck upside down in the car still conscious.

He suffered four broken ribs, a fractured pelvis, two fractured vertebrae and a collapsed lung, which left him in agonising pain and unable to sleep properly for six weeks.

Paramedics said Mr Sudron was lucky to be alive following the incident last April.

The reason why his car left the road at the Hilton overbridge, near Crathorne, in North Yorkshire, on the A19 on Easter Sunday, is still not known.

Mr Sudron, from Marske, east Cleveland, who was driving to Romanby Golf Club at the time, has no memory of the accident and doctors have ruled out any medical problems.

And after eight months fighting back to fitness, Mr Sudron has added his praise to staff for their work in his absence after a Government inspector's verdict on the "caring" school.

He returned to the village school in December, weeks before the Ofsted inspection.

Its verdict acknowledges his long absence and reports: "It reflects well on the headteacher's leadership that the school has been run efficiently in his absence by the deputy and assistant headteachers. The local authority and the governing body have also been influential."

Mr Sudron highlighted the work of deputy, Nichola Oxtoby, and assistant, Liz Brooks.

He said: "I didn't know if I'd walk again, let alone come back as headteacher.

"There has been excellent work, not only by Nichola and Liz, but the whole staff, well supported by governors, to carry out a huge job in maintaining the school and ensure it's all run smoothly."

The report continues: "The school provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. It is a caring school, which has strengthened links with parents in the community to improve pupils' personal development.

"Standards are not as high as they should be, but achievement is satisfactory because most pupils have low starting points. Teaching is satisfactory. Lessons have a positive atmosphere. Teachers are well organised, so all activities have a clear sense of purpose and pupils know what they need to learn."

Mr Sudron added: "Generally, the report is fair. It recognises that the school knows its strengths, knows its weaknesses, and knows how it is going to improve. And we're proving that we are improving."