Recovery is total miracle

7:54am Thursday 3rd July 2008

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THE return to school of two Stow children severely injured in a horrific car crash has been described as a miracle by their headteacher.

Sophie Stone, 10, and her brother Adam, 11, of King George's Field, are once more attending class at Stow Primary School after recovering from injuries suffered in the two-car accident that claimed the lives of seven people.

The school held a day of celebrations to welcome them back and raise about £1,000 for the hospitals where they were treated.

They were the only survivors of the crash that happened at about 9.20pm on Friday, March 7 when a Peugeot 306 and Volkswagen Passat were in collision on the A429 Fosseway between Stow and Moreton.

Adam and Sophie were travelling in the Passat with their grandparents, John and Maggie Kirby of Stow's Maugersbury Park and the couple's daughter, Julie.

Mr Kirby, 63, was declared dead at the scene.

Mrs Kirby, 61, and Julie, 34, died later in hospital.

All four of the Peugeot's occupants were declared dead at the scene.

They were driver Jason Brain, 35, his daughter Natasha Didcote, 15, and friend Michola Jones, 31, all from Moreton, and cousin Ryan Bott, 20, from near Chipping Norton.

Moreton firefighters cut Sophie and Adam from the wreckage and ambulances rushed the children to hospital.

Adam spent four weeks at Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, where his forehead, nose, cheeks and eye sockets had to be rebuilt and a metal plate inserted in his head.

Sophie spent six weeks at Bristol Royal Infirmary being treated for internal injuries.

She has returned to school full-time, while Adam is attending in the mornings only until he is ready to resume full-time.

The school's celebrations began with its 130 four-to-11-year-old pupils doing a three-mile sponsored walk around the Stow area, in aid of the hospitals, with Sophie leading all the way.

They returned to school for a quiz, which saw Sophie and Adam captaining two of the teams, before eating a picnic lunch and strawberry and cream cake, both made by Fiona Shilling.

Sophie and Adam's fellow pupils then toasted them with fizzy water before all the children enjoyed an afternoon of bingo, beetle drives and other games.

Headteacher, Rebecca Scutt, said: "It means everything to have them back - we are just thrilled.

"Their recovery has been a complete miracle."

Their mother, Tina Stone, thanked the school for arranging the celebrations, which her children both enjoyed.

She said: "It's great that they are back at school."