A woman who was told she may never walk again was standing strong when she returned to her favourite spot - the starting grid of a motor race.

When Nicola Thornton, originally from Chatham, was seriously injured in a car accident in April 2007, doctors told her she may be in a wheelchair for life.

Nicola, who now lives in Kennington, was working as a "grid girl" - one of the young women who stand on the starting grid during motorsports events to cheer on the drivers.

Fearing that she would never again be able to work in the sport that she loved, Nicola, 28, almost gave up hope.

"After the accident, I was absolutely devastated," she said.

"The surgeons rebuilt my left ankle as best they could, but they said the chances of my walking on my own feet were very slim.

"Motorsports and modelling were my life, but I was in and out of a wheelchair for 18 months and thought I would never walk again."

Through sheer determination, and against all the odds, Nicola learnt how to walk again and has returned to the world of motorsports she loves.

Her latest appearance saw her on the starting grid at Brands Hatch for the Formula Two and International GT Open.

The crashed vehicle that almost cost Nicola Thornton the use of her legs

Nicola was on-hand to cheer on Bulgarian racing driver Plamen Kralev.

About the experience, she added: "I never thought I would never be able to wear a pair of heels again, let alone get out on the grid.

"It was an absolutely brilliant day and such a good feeling."

The car accident in which Nicola was injured was unconncected with motor racing.