Schoolgirl Leonie Newbury will next week celebrate the 15th birthday her family and friends feared she would not make after she suffered terrible injuries in a car crash in Chippenham.

But now her family and boyfriend Kieran Connors are planning to make Wednesday a day to remember with pizza and cake.

Her mother, Tammy Raeburn, 31, of Katherine Park, Corsham said: “She has improved so much this week, it is unbelievable. I am so proud of her strength. I never thought we would be here after the crash.

“She is doing something new each day. Hopefully she will try some solid food this week ready for her birthday next week.”

Her family and friends are planning to visit her on Wednesday to celebrate her 15th birthday with a cake and more importantly her favourite food, Pizza Hut takeaway.

“Leonie was so happy when she was allowed a smoothie on Tuesday and she is going to try solid food over the next few days. She is desperate for a takeaway, especially a pizza, which is her favourite food and she would love one of those for her birthday more than anything else.”

Leonie went outside for the first time in four weeks, according to her mother.

The schoolgirl was left fighting for her life after being involved in a car crash near Chippenham Community Hospital on November 9. She was a back seat passenger in a Ford Focus Zetec, which lost control on a bend and ploughed into a wall.

She was transferred back to Bristol Children’s Hospital on Saturday afternoon for a check-up on her pelvis and pancreas and has remained there in her own room to prevent her picking up any infections.

Mrs Raeburn said Leonie took her first trip outside in a wheelchair on Monday for five minutes and loved it.

The year ten pupil is still using a tracheotomy and fixater, a frame on her pelvis. However she is positive about her recovery. Doctors hope to remove the fixater in six weeks time ready for Leonie to start taking her first steps again.

She said: “She loved going outside and is desperate to get out of hospital to see her friends. She hasn’t given me five minutes rest as she is so demanding, which is a relief because I know Leonie is 100 per cent again.

“She has been asking me to do her hair and make-up over the past few days as she likes to look just right and obsesses over her cosmetics. Now that she is awake she wants me there more than ever and she wants to see Kieran all of the time. She also keeps in touch with her friends through MSN on her laptop.”

Assistant head teacher at Corsham School, Bob Staten said: “We are delighted that Leonie is recovering so well. Mr Hywel Evans our head of year ten is in touch with her family on a regular basis. It’s such great news leading up to Christmas.”

Pupils at John Bentley School in Calne, where Leonie was previously a pupil, have sent her a huge teddy bear.