Motorcyclist may ‘never walk again’ after devastating crash

Clair Brady rode to Harwich on Monday to take some photographs and enjoyed a cup of tea beside the water but tragically never made it home.

On her way back to Ipswich, at about 11.30am, she suffered a serious collision on Clacton Road, near Horsley Cross, leaving her needing to be airlifted direct to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.

Ms Brady’s partner, Luke Garwood, has since confirmed the incident severed her spinal cord, meaning she will never walk again.

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The horrific accident also left her with multiple broken ribs, a broken shoulder and three broken vertebrae.

A fundraiser launched on Wednesday has now already seen donations hit more than £13,500 as people show their support for Ms Brady.

In a statement, Mr Garwood said: “Clair thinks she remembers clipping a wing mirror on a bend and then thinking to herself she’s going off the road - she ended up in a ditch or a field.

“She was airlifted directly to Addenbrookes where an initial assessment discovered no internal major organ damage, a few broken ribs, a broken shoulder but then also three broken vertebrae.

Clair Brady

“Clair was unable to feel anything below her chest.

“She had an MRI scan on Tuesday and it is has been confirmed that her spinal cord has been severed and that she will never walk again.”

The heart-breaking incident also comes at a time after Ms Brady had just given up her house to move in with her partner.

It has now left them both needing a new house to cater for her needs.

Mr Garwood added: “All of this in the week where Clair was going to move in permanently with me having just given up her home.

“We are now faced with a different, difficult road ahead, needing changes to where we live but also ideally needing to move to a home better suited for wheelchair access, her initial care, and new lifestyle.”

With regards to the fundraiser, Mr Garwood explained he “couldn’t believe” how many donations had been made and that he was “astounded” by the generosity and kindness shown.

He added: "It’s more than I ever imagined we would have raised and will be incredibly useful with helping to get Clair back to what ever her new normal will be, and making her feel comfortable when she is back home.”

Essex Police confirmed Clacton Road was shut for several hours following the incident.

A spokesman said: “We were called shortly after 11.30am to reports that a car and a motorcycle had been involved in a collision.

“The biker, a woman in her 40s, was taken to hospital with injuries which may be life-changing.”

Anyone with information about this incident, or available dash cam footage, is asked to call 101 and quote incident 407.

You can help support the fundraiser via bit.ly/3pIKKcu.