A TEENAGER has fought her way back to health after breaking her back – and four of her ribs - in a head-on road smash.

Natasha Sedgwick endured months of treatment and physiotherapy as she strove to walk again after the crash in July last year.

Now she’s said thank you to the airborne life-savers who came to her rescue – by swimming 100 lengths of Bedale swimming pool.

And so far her sponsored effort has brought in more than £2,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance – the existence of which relies on donations.

Natasha, now 18, was driving to Richmond Sixth Form College when her car and a van collided head-on.

“The car was pushed up onto a high verge and then bounced back so I was jolted around a lot,” said Natasha of Street Lane, Pickhill near Thirsk.

“I knew it was bad because I was in a lot of pain.

“I saw smoke coming from the front of the car and wanted to get out but I couldn’t and had to be cut out by firemen – I just remember being surrounded by lots of firemen.”

The air ambulance was scrambled and flew Natasha to the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough.

“The crew were just fabulous, kept me smiling and I couldn’t believe how quick the flight was,” she added.

“My mum and sister drove to the hospital and said how strange it was to see the air ambulance fly past knowing I was in it.”

The teenager, who used to be a keen basketball player, went through months of treatment and physiotherapy - and had to wear a backboard everyday for six months.

But she returned to college to complete her A-levels and has just started work as a receptionist with an architectural practice.

That forced Natasha to get behind wheel of a car again: “That has been the hardest thing, it was like learning to drive all over again.

“It’s been a really tough year and I was quite down at times but my mum and family have been great and I’ve learnt to be positive and the accident has really changed my attitude to life.”

She added: “I got the chance to go to the air ambulance base and meet the crew to say thank you. They thought I would be arriving in a wheelchair, which made me realise how fortunate I’ve been.”

* The Yorkshire Air Ambulance has carried more than 5,800 people in its 14-year history and has to raise £9,990 every day – £3.6m a year – to keep the service going.