A DAD feared the worst when he discovered his teenage daughter was fighting for her life in a medically-induced coma following a town centre crash.

Abby McCole, 17, was rushed to Walton Hospital on Friday after suffering a trauma to the head following a collision involving a Blue Citroen CS on Crosfield Street at 2.15pm.

Her dad Tony McCole was working in Preston when he received a phone call from the police to say Abby had been involved in a crash and needed urgent medical treatment.

The 51-year-old, who works for United Utilities, said: “I was in shock. At the time they weren’t sure which hospital she had been taken to.

“I shot out of work and telephoned her mum who was hysterical.

“Everything you can think of goes through your mind – you think the worst.”

Abby, from Orford, was taken to Walton Hospital where she was placed in a coma due to a bleed on the brain.

When Tony was finally able to see his daughter, he was left in a state of shock.

“It was my worst nightmare,” he said.

“There were tubes coming out of her mouth and nose, she was unresponsive.

“I felt sick and I was hyperventilating.”

The next 24 hours were critical but on Saturday afternoon, the family were informed that Abby was to be brought out of the coma so any damage could be analysed by medical experts.

Since then, former Cardinal Newman pupil Abby, who now studies at University Technical College Warrington, continues to make a miraculous recovery. It it is hoped she will be able to return home at the weekend.

Although she faces several months of physiotherapy before she will be able to play football with the Rylands under 18 girls' team.

Speaking from her hospital bed, Abby said she can remember very little about the crash.

She said: “I don’t remember what happened but when I woke up I was told I had been hit by a car.

“I was on the phone to my friend and remember starting to cross the road but that’s it – the next thing I can remember is waking up in hospital.

“I was very confused and I just wanted to know what happened.”

Police have confirmed the driver of the Citroen was uninjured.

Her dad has since issued a heartfelt thank you to staff at the hospital who have provided accommodation so the family can stay close by.

He said: “The nurses and staff have been amazing and have let us stay here. I owe everything to them.

“One of the cleaners asked me if there was anything they could do to help and I said I want to help you – I’ll help them clean and mop the floors.”