A POLOCROSSE player is rekindling her passion for the sport after a horrendous fall almost claimed her life.

Vickie Metcalfe spent nine days in a coma and two weeks in intensive care after an accident during an international match in the USA.

The Ledbury woman was representing the UK open squad when she tumbled off her horse.

The match was abandoned and Vickie was rushed to hospital with serious head injuries.

"I had two bleeds on my brain and a weak hip – the doctors feared that I might never be able to walk or ride a horse again,” recalled Vickie who lives in Deer Park.

“My mum had a phonecall on the Saturday to say she had better come over as soon as possible because I might not survive.”

The accident happened when the legs of the horse Vickie was riding, clipped the back legs of the horse in front.

“The horse went down and my head hit the ground. The doctors told me the hat I was wearing actually saved my life.”

Vickie was told it could take up to a year to recover from her injuries.

"I spent hours in bed and I could only watch television for half-anhour periods. I just lay on the sofa all day and slept and I even found it difficult to read a book.”

Vickie’s dreadful fall was back in September 2008 and the ex-John Masefield student fought back bravely to return to the saddle.

Remarkably, she returned to the sport just five months after the accident and immediately found her best form.

Some excellent displays led to Vickie being selected as the UK Polocrosse under-21 captain for a Test match against Ireland.

Unfortunately, the team lost but Vickie recognised that it was a strong learning curve for her and the squad.

"I'd spent the past three years rightly or wrongly constantly trying to prove myself,"

said Vickie, now 22.

"While I thoroughly enjoyed my role as captain it was stressful and I felt I just needed to give myself time to play the game again and enjoy playing it with my friends.

“The World Cup is next year, but it will come too quickly for me.

“I am hoping to play internationally again in a couple of years’ time.”

Vickie plays for a club in the Cotswolds and, at the moment, is enjoying her polocrosse away from the international spotlight.

“I became interested in polocrosse due to friend who I used to work with at my uncle’s yard. It’s an exciting sport and every game is different.”

Vickie is a student at Worcester University where she is taking sports studies and PE.