Injured Devizes mum takes charity plunge in memory of her son

Niki Connor, who now lives in White Horse Way, Devizes, will abseil 190ft down the side of the Avon Gorge in Bristol on April 13 to raise cash for the Finlay Foundation.
The fund was set up in memory of Finlay, who lost his life after he and his mum were run over by the school bus outside Woodborough Primary School in May 2011.

She hopes to raise £4,500 from her stunt which will be shared among the Finlay Foundation, Wiltshire Air Ambulance, the Great Western Ambulance Service and Swift Medics, the volunteer doctors who
attend incidents where lives are in danger.

She said: “While Wiltshire Air Ambulance took Finlay to hospital in Swindon, Great Western air ambulance flew me to Frenchay. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here.

“I wanted to do something to raise money for the Finlay Foundation. Because of my injuries I can’t run or anything, so it was between an abseil and throwing myself out of a plane.

“I chose the abseil because of the place. Between them Great Western air ambulance and Frenchay Hospital saved my life so doing the event in Bristol is important to me.

“All it involves is holding onto a rope and walking down. How hard can it be?”

Mrs Connor, who has separated from her husband Greg since the tragedy, is still undergoing treatment for the multiple crush injuries she received when she was dragged underneath the bus.

Her pelvis was broken on both sides, front and back and her right knee was smashed. Her right hip joint was ripped out of its socket, she had a fractured eye socket, as well as lacerations to legs and foot.

She added: “I have permanent nerve damage to parts of my leg and foot, and I had an operation four weeks ago on nerves in my spine.

“I am due for pelvic scans next month and I will remain an out patient at Frenchay for the next three years.”

She had another operation on her back three weeks ago but hopes to be recovered by the time of the abseil.