HONG Kong student Sau Wah Ng, who suffered serious back injuries when she was knocked off her bike on a pedestrian crossing in Oxford, is battling to make a swift recovery.

The 31-year-old, who is studying for a PhD in art history at Oxford University’s Kellogg College, needed hospital treatment after she was knocked off her bike on July 30.

Despite injuring her spine, pelvis and hip in the crash, Ms Ng is determined to take part in a sponsored walk for Oxfam in Ireland next month.

She said she was shocked that the crash happened when the pedestrian crossing in Woodstock Road, close to the junction with Little Clarendon Street, was showing a green pedestrian light. And she has thanked people who stayed behind after the crash to look after her before paramedics arrived.

Ms Ng said: “I was hit by a car when I was just on my way to the library, on a pedestrian crossing on Woodstock Road.

“I remember a guy in a car came very fast and tried to slow down but then moved again — at the time the pedestrian green light was still on.

“It was the road I walked or cycled on every day and I just can’t forget it.

“It was totally and utterly unexpected and I never thought that the car would be travelling at such high speed when the green light was on for pedestrians.

“I carried on crossing with my bike but the car started to move fast again.

“Fortunately there were many pedestrians and they helped fix my head and body so that I wouldn’t get further injury from broken bones.

“It was scary because I could not move even my toes when the nurse told me to try.

“At that moment, I knew it was a bad symptom and I thought I was paralysed in my right leg.”

Ms Ng said although her studies have been interrupted by the accident, she now hoped to make a full recovery, and her goal was to take part in the 100km Ireland Trail trekker in September.

The student is being looked after by her boyfriend, Chong Hiu Yeung, 30, at their flat in Banbury Road, North Oxford.

He said: “Sau Wah’s mother and sister are flying over from Hong Kong to help look after her.

“Before the accident I always cycled everywhere in the city and I thought it was quite safe – what happened has shocked us both.”

David Paull, a spokesman for Thames Valley Police, confirmed that the accident took place at about 3.30pm on Woodstock Road, outside Browns restaurant.

He said the collision took place between a grey Honda Civic and the cyclist, who was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital suffering serious injuries.

Mr Paull said nobody was arrested at the scene and an investigation was being carried out.