MARCH 27, 1997, is a date etched in Liz Miller's memory. It was the day she badly broke her left leg in a skiing accident while on holiday with her family in the French Alps.

Already a competent if recreational skier, the then 17-year-old, from Brockenhurst in the New Forest, had grown up holidaying on the snow-covered French slopes.

But her parents wanted to wind down their skiing activities and told her they did not plan to go again. Liz, though, was addicted. She begged them for one last trip. They agreed, not knowing it would change the course of her life forever.

Complications, including severe compartment syndrome, after the accident in La Tania near Courcheval, in which she broke both her tibia and fibula bones in her left leg, meant she only had the use of one muscle below her knee. Doctors presented her with a stark decision.

June 12, 1997, is another date Liz will long remember. It was the day, aged 17, she had her left leg amputated below the knee.

She had been confronted with the option of either having her leg amputated or facing the next two years visiting hospital, to undergo countless operations without the certainty that she would ever regain the full use of her leg.

But having already undergone various surgeries, a skin graft and two months of daily hospital visits, the prospect of two more years in and out of the General without a guaranteed success did not appeal.

For many sportsmen and women such a life-altering injury would have stopped them ever returning to their sport again. But not Liz.

So determined was she that the accident would not deter her, she made it her life's goal to get back skiing. Today Liz, 25, is on a Paralympic course that could cap a remarkable recovery.

"All my life skiing had always been a family holida. It was never a case of sitting on the beach, it was always skiing," she said.

"My parents said they would never go on a skiing holiday again but I begged and begged and they said fine, we'd go on one last one.

"I remember the day really well. It was an easy run. It was right at the end of the day when we were trying to go as fast as we could to make the last lift back to the village where we were staying.

"There was a little jump, I went over it but the snow was very slushy. My ski stopped, I flew out my binding and broke my left leg.

"I knew I had done something bad. My dad is a doctor and at first he said it's good news as it's not your knee.

"I was airlifted to Moutiers Hospital where I spent one week before being flown back here and then to the Southampton General Hospital where I spent three weeks."

Being told that it may be necessary to have your leg amputated is not a prospect anyone would wish let alone a 17-year-old. But Liz took the decision in her stride.

"It was quite an easy decision," she said.

"At the time I could not see any other way.

"It's not something anyone would like to happen but you just get on with it. By the end of August I had my left leg fitted.

"By November I was walking fine. The doctors said they've never seen someone walking so soon, so well. I suppose I had youth on my side.

"I was back at college in September."

After successfully completing three A-levels she went to Newcastle University to study a degree in maths and education.

And one of the first things she did was join the university ski team, eventually becoming its president.

"Not knowing much about it I didn't know if you could get skiing legs.

"My first skiing trip was in my first year of university, in 2000.

She admitted that her mother Ann was a nervous wreck at the prospect and her dad John did not want to talk about it.

But Liz was undeterred.

"I had a skiing leg specially made on the NHS. It took me a while to get used to. I spent a lot of time falling, as finding your balance is a lot harder.

"My first day skiing was great. I realised I loved skiing so much. Then I got in contact with the British Adaptive Ski Team who agreed to train me."

After university Liz spent a season working and skiing in Meribel, although it was only when she got back that she decided she wanted to race.

Today she has put a career on hold - she states she has little intention of becoming a maths teacher but is keeping her options open - and has set her sights on the 2006 Winter Paralympic Games in Turin, Italy.

This week Liz has embarked on 16 months of training that she hopes will lead to medal glory.

But without official funding - she says Lottery support has not been available - the run-up to the Games is not going to be easy.

Summers have been spent working at The Forrester pub in Brockenhurst and saving every penny towards skiing with the Winter Park Disabled Ski team in Colorado, USA.

At Winter Park she has continued to make steady progress. Competition director Paul DiBello said: "It's our opinion that in a few years she will be one of the top female racers in the Winter Paralympics."

The next 16 months will take in training and competing in France, USA, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Slovakia and Italy.

Under the guidance of her Welsh coach Mike Hopkins Liz has led the GB Adaptive team rankings in the Slalom and is ranked third in the Super G and giant slalom.

"I'm hoping to do all four events, but it's very competitive," she said.

"But there is something about slalom I love. It's hitting those poles, I guess. It's good for taking out any aggression."

But she will first have to overcome the Americans.

"They are very good and they get paid to ski.

"The Americans invest so much money. Here they are good at putting money into summer sports but this is a winter sport."

In many ways the accident gave Liz a new lease of life. She seems determined to grab every available opportunity and her family is fully behind her.

She enjoys horse riding, has a manual car driving licence, and this summer took part in a charity parachute jump for Naomi House children's hospice - minus the prosthetic leg, she said.

"I was good at skiing but I was not racing before the accident," she added. "I'm a hell of a lot better now."

TO ACHIVE her dream of competing at the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin, Liz is looking for sponsorship that would enable her to train full-time.

She has already received the support of www.natives.co.uk, Watermark Event Management in Fareham, Colten Developments in Lymington, Senspa at Careys Manor Hotel, Brockenhurst and Surrey-based financial consultants Sigma Asset Management.

With the promise of branding and publicity Liz is looking for further help. If you think you would be able to provide sponsorship, contact her on 01590 622168 or visit her website at www.liz-miller.co.uk.