Cyclist airlifted from Wiltshire crash speaks out in court

Klaire Alexander had been cycling to work after dropping her children off at school on Thursday, July 13, 2023, when a careless driver changed her life forever.

The Wiltshire woman had slowed on her bicycle on the B3109 Bradford Road near Corsham, and used her arm to indicate right.

The van behind her slowed to allow her to turn off but a Mercedes behind that, being driven by Hannah Gunn, of Grove Park in Gloucestershire, overtook the van and drove into oncoming traffic, knocking the cyclist off her bike.

“The oncoming van driver had to slam on their brakes when they saw the Mercedes overtaking," prosecutor Mr Power told Swindon Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.

“The drivers all attended to the victim and had to work hard to keep her with them

“She was airlifted to hospital for treatment."

The victim was left with a serious fracture to her elbow requiring surgery, fluid around her liver and trauma to her brain which affected her memory and loss of smell.

Speaking out for the first time in a victim personal statement read to the court, the tearful Wiltshire mother said: "I have had to come to terms with the fact that I will never return to how I was.

The crash took place on Bradford Road near Corsham (Image: Google Maps)

“I used to be the most active fit and energetic person and I always tried to be a ‘fun mum’.

“Now I feel completely wretched, and it has affected my relationships with my family and friends.

"I’m constantly exhausted and so worried about safety that I feel unable to let my children get in other people’s cars due to fear of what might happen to them.

“My family is everything to me and all our lived have been changed by this accident."

The victim continues to face frequent sickness due to painkillers, a loss of smell, and limited movement to her arm which has put a stop to her previous active lifestyle.

“My fitness was athlete level and in lockdown, I started a kindness bakery and cycled around delivering baked goods on my bike.

"Now I'll never be able to return to the person that I was."

Hannah Gunn has pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrate's Court (Image: Newsquest) Hannah Gunn, who has appeared in court charged with causing serious injury by careless driving, entered a guilty plea at the earliest possibility, and reportedly stayed at the scene and fetched a first aid kit from her car to try and help the victim.

“Ms Gunn did make an unsafe overtaking manoeuvre and she will have to accept responsibility for that and live with the consequences," said defence lawyer Oliver Snoddin.

“However, she was tested at the roadside and did not have drugs or alcohol in her system. There’s no evidence that she was on her phone at the time

“She is of previous good character and has had a driving license for 13 years with no points on it.”

The case has now been adjourned to November 27 while a pre-sentence report, and Ms Gunn has been released on unconditional bail with a disqualification from driving.