Mortgage Adviser Needs Nine Operations After Careless Driver Hit Her

A mortgage advisor, Cat Neill, 37, got hit by a careless driver in a bad car accident last year, on February 7th, during her run. A car crossed a roundabout and hit her while she was running on Geneva Road in Darlington.

Cat broke bones in her leg and ankle and needed treatment at a hospital in Middlesbrough. She stayed in the hospital for seven months and had nine surgeries to save her leg.

The driver, Paul Hardie, 53, admitted his careless driving. The court sentenced Paul on October 9, 2024, with a suspended jail sentence and a driving ban.

He also had to do unpaid work and pay a fine. Cat said the accident happened around 6 AM. She heard a loud noise and saw the car coming before it hit her, and everything went black.

She was lying on the ground in shock and terrible pain. A witness saw her flying through the air, and Cat waited for an hour and a half for help.

Doctors told her that she might lose her leg, so they used tissue from her other leg to rebuild the broken bones in her injured leg. Cat had many surgeries and faced setbacks.

Now, she wants to walk one mile unaided to raise money for a trauma support charity called Day One, which helped her a lot.

Talking to others helped Cat through the tough time, even though she may never fully recover from her injuries. She will end her walk where she got injured.

She wants to replace the bad memory with a positive one. Her family raised money for Day One, completing a sponsored walk and collecting £1,410.