IT WAS more than a decade ago but mum-of-three Sarah Sanders remembers her daughter’s riding accident as though it was yesterday.

After being thrown from her horse in 1999, Hannah Chatfield – then 12 – was left unconscious and needed an emergency operation to remove two blood clots on her brain.

But thanks to the surgeons and medical staff, she went on to make a complete recovery.

Now Hannah and her mother are preparing to take part in the OX5 Run on Sunday, March 25, at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock to raise funds for Oxford Children’s Hospital.

Mrs Sanders, 46, lives with husband Nick in Carterton, and is an assistant practitioner at Broadshires Health Centre.

She said: “Back then, the children’s hospital was based at the old Radcliffe Infirmary building in Oxford.

“It was incredible the way they managed to pull a surgical team together and the fact they operated on Hannah so quickly undoubtedly saved her life.

“She was in intensive care and it was touch and go for a few days whether she would survive.

“Once she stabilised and was transferred to a ward, she had some brilliant nursing care and support. Doctors warned us that if she recovered, she might be permanently brain damaged but thankfully she made a full recovery and has no problems at all now.

“Hannah and I both used to be keen riders but I have never sat on a horse since, and Hannah didn’t get back on one until many, many years later.”

Former Carterton Community College pupil Hannah, now a chartered certified accountant who is married to Craig Chatfield, also lives in Carterton.

She added: “Running the OX5 is the least I can do to show my appreciation of all the care I received from the staff following my accident.”

Fundraisers hope about 1,000 runners raise an estimated £100,000 in the 10th anniversary year of the race.