A WOMAN pedestrian who underwent surgery to save her leg after a road smash in County Durham is making a gradual recovery.

The 45-year-old was trapped between two cars when a purple Renault 19 mounted the pavement and smashed into five parked vehicles in the village of Leasingthorne, near Bishop Auckland.

The Renault was travelling south through the village at 12.35pm on Tuesday when the accident occurred.

The victim, Juanita May, and her 50-year-old husband, Geoff, who sustained minor injuries in the accident, had travelled from their home in Bristol to stay with friends and attend dog trials in the county.

Police said that the first 48 hours after the accident had been crucial for Mrs May and that specialist surgeons worked through the night after the accident to restore the blood supply.

Friends said that Mrs May is making very gradual progress at Middlesbrough General Hospital, but that she will require specialist surgery and is likely to take ABOUT two years to recover.

The car was driven by a 19-year-old man from Shildon, who has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

The two passengers, a 19-year-old from Shildon and a 24-year-old from Eldon, were released by police without charge.