Crash girl on mend

Black Country schoolgirl Siana Ellis is making a remarkable recovery after being dragged under the wheels of a car which then reversed over her in a horrific holiday accident.

Six-year-old Siana was playing outside her family's tent at the Lick Hill Manor caravan park near Stourport in September when a passing car knocked her down, dragging her along the ground.

When her friends banged on the side of the car, the driver reversed back over Siana in a panic, leaving her with multiple injuries and having to be airlifted to Birmingham Children's Hospital.She was left fighting for her life but the Wallbrook Primary School pupil survived and is now battling her way back to health.

However, she is not expected to be able to walk until next year and will have to undergo two years of physiotherapy.

Her stepfather Gavin Jones, of Whitegates Road, Coseley, said: "It is a miracle she wasn't killed. I had just taken my eight-week-year old son back into the tent when I heard a scream.

I went out and all I could see was Siana lying on the ground covered in blood. It was horrific."

The accident fractured Siana's pelvis on both sides, lacerated her liver and broke her leg and collarbone.

She is still being treated at Birmingham Children's Hospital and will remain there until November, when she is expected to be allowed home in a wheelchair.

Step-grandmother Jayne Jones, who works at the hospital, said: "It is amazing how resilient children are and she is just itching to get out of bed now.

It is a wonder she survived, an inch or two either way and the car could have killed her."

Despite the good news, Gavin and Siana's mother Debra are now facing a fresh challenge to get Dudley Council to agree to move them to a ground floor flat in time for her release from hospital. The couple live in a third floor flat in Coseley with no lifts.

With Siana wheelchair-bound until next year, they have asked the council if they could be moved to a ground floor flat but have not yet had a response.

Dudley Council spokes-man Phil Parker said: "We have referred this to our medical officer and we will be seeking further information from the hospital with regard to Siana's needs when she is discharged."