THERE were joyful scenes when an Evesham teenager returned home after making a miraculous recovery from a road accident.

Stefanie Mace, aged 13, was greeted by banners and balloons when she came home last Friday after spending more than a month in hospital recovering from the serious head injuries she sustained when she was in collision with a car in Pershore Road, Evesham.

Her recovery has amazed her family and medical staff, who at one stage had feared for her life. Stefanie's parents had been warned to expect her to stay in hospital for several months.

Her mother, Tracy, said: "She wasn't due to come home for a minimum of six months. Even the doctors are amazed at her recovery." Mrs Mace added: "She's resting at home and doing extremely well. She's due to go to Prince Henry's High School in September, so it is just a question of home tuition and seeing how Stefanie is then.

"Everyone - our neighbours, family and friends - have been so good. She has been spoiled rotten by everyone and her school and all her friends have been fantastic. We would like to say thank you to them all."

A pupil at St Egwin's Middle School in Evesham, Stefanie was crossing the road near the Total petrol station with a friend when they were in collision with a car on May 22.

Her friend escaped with minor injuries, but Stefanie had to be taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital. She underwent emergency surgery as doctors had to remove part of her skull to allow her brain to expand. Doctors had even feared that she might be left in a permanent vegetative state.