A CRITICALLY-injured schoolgirl has astounded doctors who feared she would be left a vegetable after an horrific accident.

Stefanie Mace is feeding and dressing herself and has even managed a visit to the gym at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

The 13-year-old and a friend were crossing Pershore Road in Evesham when they were involved in a collision with a Volkswagen Golf.

She was taken to Worcester's Ronkswood Hospital with serious head injuries, then transferred to intensive care in Birmingham.

"In those first few days, we thought the worst - that we would lose her," said her father John, of Andrews Drive, Evesham.

"She was in intensive care for two weeks and had to have brain scans and a major operation which involved removing part of her skull to allow her brain to expand.

"We made sure someone was with her 24 hours a day, and her friends gave us pictures of her to decorate her room.

"We also played tapes and she showed signs of improvement."

He said the family could not believe it when she started to breathe on her own and she was moved to a ward on June 4.

"Doctors told us that, if she survived, she'd be in a vegetative state.

"Yet here she is, doing all these things for herself and bossing the nurses around. We can't believe how she's got so much better, but she's a determined girl.

"She's quite small and slight but has always seemed to have this inner strength and that's definitely paid off for her."

Mr Mace said Stefanie, a student at St Egwin's CE Middle School, would have to face more major skull surgery in a couple of months, but her family was overjoyed at her progress.

"The staff here have been absolutely brilliant and we can't thank them enough," added the group marketing manager. "We also want to thank her friends and schools for their support - including Prince Henry's High School, where she's due to go.

"It's been hard for me, and her mum Tracy and brother Bradley, and we know there's a long way to go yet.

"But we're so pleased she's come this far."

Police still want witnesses to the accident - which happened at around 4.40pm on Tuesday, May 22 - to contact them on 01905 723888.