A COLWALL woman who broke her back in a quad bike accident has raised more than £2,000 for the rehabilitation unit that helped her to walk again.

Charlotte Powell, 23, held a party at Malvern's Club Nine on Saturday to buy new equipment for the Rookwood rehabilitation unit in Cardiff, which treated her after her accident.

Charlotte, a nursery nurse, had the accident in July 2003 and was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, where she remained for six weeks before being moved to Rookwood.

She lost all sensation in her legs and metal rods had to be inserted in her back, meaning she needed hydrotherapy and physiotherapy.

"They told my mum and dad that I would be in a wheelchair and my surgeon said I wouldn't walk again. But the feeling in my legs came back in the fourth week at Rookwood," said Charlotte.

Her aim was to be out of Rookwood by November 29, her sister's birthday, but she made such good progress that she was allowed to leave in the middle of October.

"It was Charlotte's tenacity that did it," said her mum Maggie. "I'm so proud of her. She's just an ordinary person but she fought every complication."

While she was at the rehabilitation unit, Charlotte noticed that X-rays were being sent to the main hospital for processing, which took two or three days.

Now she hopes the money she has raised will provide the equipment to enable Rookwood to process its own X-rays.

Twelve members of staff from Gloucestershire Royal Hospital made the journey to Malvern for the party at club Nine, including orthopaedic surgeon James Craig, who operated on Charlotte three times.

Local businesses provided food and prizes for a raffle and tombola, which contributed towards the total raised.

Mrs Powell said the night had been "absolutely amazing".

"We had so much support from people of all ages," she said. "It was a wonderful evening, we all had so much fun. People were very generous."

Charlotte is still having physiotherapy but hopes to return to work in the next month or so.