'It feels like a miracle': Woman, 23, who suffered brain damage and a broken spine in Bulgarian ski smash was given a five per cent chance of survival - but she's defied the odds and hopes to hit the slopes again

A young British woman given just a five per cent chance of survival after a horrific skiing accident has stunned doctors by making a 'miracle' recovery — and she's vowed to hit the slopes again as soon as she's physically able. 

Olivia Corbiere, 23, sustained a brain bleed, lung damage, a broken pelvis and and nose, and three fractured vertebrae when she fell 15ft into a ravine in Bansko, Bulgaria, in March.

Doctors who first tended to the kitchen designer told her mum Linzi, 46, she had a limited chance of survival — and might never talk again if she did.

Olivia was placed in a medically induced coma — often done to limit brain damage — but shortly before was able to mouth the words 'I love you' to her boyfriend Ben Smith, 24, who flew out to be at her bedside.

Olivia was later flown to back Britain for specialist treatment and defied the odds, recovering enough to return home after six weeks.

Olivia Corbiere, 23, right, sustained a brain bleed, lung damage, a broken pelvis and and nose, and three fractured vertebrae when she fell 15ft into a ravine in Bansko, Bulgaria, in March

Doctors who first tended to Olivia said she had a limited chance of survival — and might never talk again if she did

Olivia stunned doctors by making a 'miracle' recovery — and she's vowed to hit the slopes again as soon as she's physically able

She still has some hearing loss and nerve damage on the right side of her face —affecting her eyelid movement — along with a wound at the back of her head. 

But Linzi said: 'It absolutely feels like a miracle.

'Don't get me wrong, the Bulgarian neurosurgeon saved Olivia's life, but the care back in England is second to none. They've checked up on her constantly.

'We were told she had a five per cent chance of living and may not speak, but she's done all that, she's proved them wrong, she's getting stronger every day.

'Now, she can laugh and joke about herself and things like that – that's really, really good. We're absolutely over the moon.'

Olivia thanked her sister Phoebe Corbiere, 19, and five close friends who were with her when she had the accident, claiming their swift and selfless actions saved her life.

Speaking from her home in Aston, near Rotherham, South Yorks, Olivia said: 'The actions of my sister and my friends that day are the reason why I'm here.

'Three of them jumped into the ravine and helped get me out, and then the other ones called the emergency services.

'They didn't even think for a second not to jump in, and they could have hurt themselves. They are incredible. They're fabulous, they're amazing.

'When I was in hospital I thanked them for doing what they did because they saved my life.'

Olivia had gone on the five-day spring ski trip with her sister and friends Laura Howe, 23, Charlotte Howe, 20, Georgia Cooke, 23, Ellise Cowley, 23, and Anastasia Griffith 23.

Olivia's friends phoned for an ambulance and she was rushed to a hospital where shocked medics said they had 'never seen' a head injury as severe hers

Olivia (left) with sister Phoebe at Northern General Hospital 2 days after arriving back in England, 4th April

And on March 17, she had gone up to the top of the mountain range, in Western Bulgaria, early to maximize her time on the slopes.

But after lunch, as she was heading along a ski path, she tumbled down a ravine while going over 'slushy' snow.

Olivia said: 'We met about 10am, and we were having a conversation about where we were going to eat. That was one of the last things I remember before my accident.

'My right ski crossed over my left ski, and that made me lose control. I then went into the ravine.

Phoebe (left) with her sister Olivia Corbiere on their holiday in Bansko. When she was brought back to the UK doctors warned her family to prepare for a long recovery lasting several months or perhaps years

Olivia, centre, had gone on the five-day spring ski trip with her sister and friends Laura Howe, 23, left, Charlotte Howe, 20, Georgia Cooke, 23, Ellise Cowley, 23, and Anastasia Griffith 23, right

'Because there's such a big drop, and because it was warmer weather and it had melted, I couldn't turn out of it like I normally would.'

Olivia's friends phoned for an ambulance and she was rushed to a hospital where shocked medics said they had 'never seen' a head injury as severe hers.

She later underwent four hours of emergency surgery where specialists removed part of her skull to reduce a life-threatening bleed on her brain.

Olivia was also found to have suffered three fractured vertebrae, a broken pelvis, a broken eye socket and a broken nose in the fall.

Linzi immediately flew to Bulgaria to be by her daughter's bedside before she was put into the medically induced coma.

When she was brought back to the UK on April 1, doctors warned Linzi to prepare for a long recovery lasting several months or perhaps years.

But Olivia, who has no recollection of the five-week period following her accident, began to improve once she was able to learn what had happened to her.

Olivia managed to mouth the words 'I love you' to her boyfriend, Ben Smith, 24, who also flew out to be with her in her time of need

She said: 'When I moved from the intensive care ward onto the neuro ward, it was about three or four days after that, my memory started to come back.

'For some reason I thought I was in a car accident — or there were different stories that made sense to me that I don't remember as to why I was in hospital.'

Olivia finally returned home four weeks ago and has since enjoyed meals out with her relieved family.

But she was stunned when she learned how many people had offered their sympathies from around the world after learning of her accident.

She added: 'My mum spent a bit of time looking through it all and it was just fantastic.

'There are just so many good people in the world. I can't be any more grateful.'

Olivia also said she hoped to hit the ski slopes again as soon as she could despite suffering her traumatic injuries.

Olivia finally returned home four weeks ago and has since enjoyed meals out with her relieved family

She said: 'It was just an accident, it wasn't anything to do with how I was skiing.

'I've skied for years. I absolutely love it, and I shouldn't let something that was a complete accident put me off something I enjoy doing.

'So when I'm fully better and well, I'd love to try it again.'

Olivia's family have set up a crowdfund to help cover the costs of her recovery.