Valerie Curtis, pictured with her husband Richard and sons Simon and JamieGAZETTE & HERALD: THE family of cyclist Valerie Curtis have been keeping a vigil at her bedside since she was knocked down in a horrific accident last week.

Her husband Richard said she finally opened her eyes and was taken off life-support on Sunday.

"She's got a very long way to go yet, but she's better than she was," he told the Gazette on Tuesday.

Grandmother Mrs Curtis, 57, of The Ridings, Kington St Michael, was taken to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol following the accident at the Lanhill junction between Chippenham and Yatton Keynell.

The incident happened at about 4pm last Tuesday and the road was closed for five hours.

Mrs Curtis has been in intensive care at the hospital ever since, suffering horrendous breaks to her left leg, pelvis, ribs and shoulder.

She also received head injuries, but doctors are 90 per cent sure there is no damage to her brain.

Her husband said their two sons Simon, 29, and Jamie, 25, and grandchildren Jack and Elanor had been helping him through the past week.

"It's been a really worrying time," said Mr Curtis. "We are all staying strong and sticking together. I'm so thankful I've got my family and friends around me for support.

"Jamie actually drove past the scene of the accident but luckily he didn't know what had happened or who it was."

Mr Curtis, a delivery driver, said nobody knew why his wife was out cycling or where she was going when the accident happened.

He was at work when the police called and gave him the shocking news.

"They think the car was going at about 50mph," he said. "If it had been travelling just 10mph more this could have been a different story. It doesn't bear thinking about.

"My wife had lots of help at the scene before the ambulance arrived, so I'd like to thank those people."

He said it was a great relief when Mrs Curtis came around on Sunday. "I was there when it happened, but she's been drifting in and out since," he said. "She can't open one of her eyes properly because it's so swollen, but it's a start.

"She hasn't said anything yet because she's got a tube down her throat but she's trying to communicate in other ways. I'm just glad she's off the ventilator and breathing on her own."

Mrs Curtis, who has lived in Kington St Michael for 26 years and helped out in the local primary school when her sons were young, has already had three or four operations as a result of the crash.

"I'm starting to lose count of what they are for, but she's had one on her elbow and one on her leg," said Mr Curtis. "They haven't even started work on her shoulder yet. The whole thing is smashed. And her leg is broken all the way down to the knee. It's pretty horrific."

Mrs Curtis is expected to be in hospital for several weeks, if not months.

"She's still very poorly but she has definitely progressed," said Mr Curtis. "It will take a long time for everything to heal."

PC Barney Appleton, traffic management officer, said cyclists were classed as vulnerable road users.

"On a busy stretch of road like the A420 they become even more vulnerable," he said. "The main thing we try to tell people is to be safe, they need to be seen." He advised wearing protective clothing and making sure the bike is in full working order."The brakes and lights are particularly important, and a cycle helmet can be a life saver."