A MOTHER who was told her toddler had only two hours left to live after a serious car crash has been reunited with the air ambulance crew that saved her daughter.

Ava Pearson, from Broughton Moor and her dad, Adam Pearson, 22, were seriously injured when their car collided with a United Utilities tanker on the A66 near Cockermouth in September.

Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) paramedic Terry Sharpe and pilot Owen McTeggart went to the aid of the pair who were both flown to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Ava’s mum, Amy Houghton, 22, of Wilson Terrace, said: “Ava and Adam were on their way back from swimming when their car veered onto the wrong side of the road and hit a tanker head-on. Medics told me that Ava had only two hours left to live and Adam was also in intensive care.”

Recalling the incident, Mr Sharpe said: “Ava was very upset and agitated with intermittent periods of quietness, which in a child is usually a sign that they’re quite unwell.

“While assessing her further, I was called back to Adam as his condition had deteriorated a great deal.

“We had to rapidly extricate him from the car and anaethetise him on the roadside as he was unable to support his own airway.”

Two-year-old Ava had the left side of her skull removed to relieve pressure on her brain while in hospital. She had also torn ligaments in her neck and suffered a broken leg and a fractured wrist. Mr Pearson suffered serious multiple injuries.

After three weeks, Ava smiled for the first time and a week later she started to speak.

Miss Houghton said: “She has defied everyone’s expectations and is now back to how she was before. Both of their recoveries are testament to the treatment they received by both the air ambulance and at Newcastle’s RVI.”

Mr Sharpe, who works at Ashcroft Plant Hire at Dearham, said: “To see her running around the way she is now is fantastic. It makes everything worthwhile.”

Ava will be monitored until she is 25 years old when her brain is fully developed.

The family are now raising money for the charity which relies entirely on public funding and have organised a night at Maryport’s Grasslot Welfare Club on April 2, which will feature a raffle and live music.

Miss Houghton will also run the Great North Run in September.

She said: Being told on the night of the accident that Ava only had two hours left to live, the amount of effort the emergency services put in was amazing.

“Without them I wouldn’t have my daughter so it’s giving something back to them.

“The air ambulance runs on donations so hopefully it makes a difference.

“Everyone says you never know when you’re going to need them and when it does happen to you it puts everything into perspective.”

For more on the April 2 event call 07789 695134.