THESE are the pictures the family of a six-year-old girl hit by a car thought they would never see.

Bethany Proudley spent two-weeks in a coma after she suffered serious head injuries when she was in an accident with a Nissan Primera outside her home in Carnation Road, Southampton.

Bethany was rushed for emergency surgery after the impact of the collision shattered bone into her brain.

Doctors prepared her family for the worst saying her chances of survival were slim as she fought for her life in intensive care in Southampton General Hospital.

But now the Bassett Green Primary School pupil’s loved ones who have prayed and maintained a vigil at her bedside have called little Bethany “a miracle”. She has now woken from the coma and is making remarkable progress.

Her auntie Susan Salehizadeh, who runs Maynard’s News in Civic Centre Road, said: “This is our little miracle baby. “She is just doing so well. She recognises people and keeps poking her tongue out and smiling. She won’t leave her mum alone!

“She has even told us she wants more balloons for the ward and although she is still being fed on a drip, she is eating ice-cream! She even sat up on her own for 90 seconds during physio.

“We just can’t believe it. It is a miracle. We all thought that was it and have been praying for her. What a fighter.”

But the family still face an anxious wait.

Mrs Salehizadeh, said: “We are just waiting to see if she can walk in a couple of days. We just have to take each day at a time and wait to see if there is any long-term damage. Sandra is happy with Bethany’s progress but it has been very stressful for the family and we remain up the hospital everyday, and we are still praying for everything to be ok.

“We would like to thank all the staff in PICU for their amazing job they do and all the Southampton General staff.

Bethany’s hospital bedside is filled with toys and cards from well-wishers and more than 500 family members, friends, neighbours and strangers have posted messages of support on a social networking site.