FIVE months after she suffered life-threatening injuries when she was knocked down at a busy Worcester junction, McAyla Johnston is stepping out for her first day at high school today.

Her parents and paramedics did not think she would survive after she was hit by a car in London Road, near Tesco Express, on Sunday, September 7 – the day before she was due to start Nunnery Wood High School.

But the plucky 11-year-old has made nothing short of a miraculous recovery since then by emerging from an eight-day coma and confounding doctors’ initial prognosis that she would be moderately to severely disabled for the rest of her life.

Dad David Lamb, of Foxwell Street, off London Road, said today was a day he never thought he would see at one point.

“This is a big move forward for her,” he said. “She’s very excited to go back and get that social interaction and she will get to see all of her friends.

“We are just trying to reign her in a bit and trying to make sure she doesn’t overdo it or over exert herself because she just wants to do it all.”

Mr Lamb said McAyla, who is still suffering with acquired brain injury (ABI) and cannot walk very far on her own, will initially spend one hour every day at Nunnery Wood High School to see how she copes.

He said Worcestershire County Council has arranged for transport to take her to and from the school in Spetchley Road.

“They have got a special place called the Base where they have a lot of other children with various degrees of problems,” said Mr Lamb.

“We have had some good meetings with the school and they have really taken the bull by the horns.

“It’s good but it’s quite scary at the same time because we just want to know they are providing the best for her. With all the meetings we have had with everybody up there I’m very confident about that.”

Meanwhile, Mr Lamb said he was growing ever impatient for the day a new crossing is installed at the accident blackspot where McAyla was knocked down.

Worcestershire County Council said its accident team have already completed a study and consultants have now been called in to carry out a month-long survey of the area around the junction of London Road and Wyld’s Lane, including the front of Tesco Express, to determine the final design and identify any other works that might be needed.

“Once the final design has been determined work will commence on adding an additional pedestrian crossing,” said a spokesman.