A brave Weymouth schoolgirl who has given something back to lifesavers after being seriously injured in a road accident has won a national award.

Maisie Sheridan, 14, showed that she was stronger and more determined to help others despite suffering terrible injuries in a crash.

Her efforts led to her being named Outstanding Young Person of the Year at the National Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence.

The glittering awards ceremony in London saw almost 300 guests come together to celebrate the best and brightest from the air ambulance community. Each listened to some remarkable stories of the shortlisted nominees, all of whom demonstrated excellence and commitment well above and beyond the call of duty.

Maisie was one of two category winners put forward by and representing Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) – the other being The Haynes Air Ambulance Manual which won Campaign of the Year.

Maisie, a talented singer and dancer and a former Weymouth Carnival princess, was very badly injured when she was hit by a van as she crossed Newstead Road in September 2016.

She was placed in an induced coma and airlifted to Southampton Hospital by the air ambulance.

Tests showed that she had fractured her skull and eye socket and that she had a couple of lesions on her brain. She had soft tissue damage to parts of her body and road burns to her torso. Due to the impact, Maisie lost a layer of skin from her face.

A DSSA spokesman said: "The incident could well have changed Maisie’s attitude on life for the worse – but right from the word go and as soon as she physically could, she wanted to give something back.

"As a keen performer, she began singing outside Morrisons, raising funds for the air ambulance. Not only has she been a patient and a fundraiser; Maisie constantly strives to raise awareness of our work. She has represented the charity in Parliament and undergone numerous media interviews during National Air Ambulance Week; highlighting the work of air ambulances nationally and encouraging the public to show their support.

"This year, Maisie agreed to become a peer supporter and help other children who have been through a similar journey to her."

Bill Sivewright, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance CEO added: “Maisie is a most worthy winner of the Young Person of the Year Award, having bounced back from a quite terrible accident to become a fantastic young champion for the cause of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance."