Woman paralysed from chest down rides superbike to raise £4,400

A partially paralysed woman rode her high-speed dream by having herself strapped to a specially adapted superbike and speeding up to 128 kilometres per hour on the North West 200 course in Northern Ireland, BBC reported Saturday.

Claire Lomas, 43, was paralysed from her chest down after falling from a galloping horse in 2007.

Lomas, from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, said she "never dreamed" she would be able to do it.

Her toes were secured to footplates.

She said: "It was such an amazing feeling. When I was lying in hospital after my accident I never dreamed I'd be able to do anything like this.

"I was so nervous because there was a lot of waiting.

"I was riding between races and there was a red flag that held things up, which didn't help.

"I can't feel anything below my chest but I could feel the butterflies in my stomach."

"I got up to 84mph. It made me feel free," she added.

"I think I've got the bug for this now."

The horse riding accident left Lomas’s ribs fractured, a lung punctured, and her neck and back broken.

It must be noted that she raised more than £4,400 for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation through her ride.

The charity is researching to find a treatment for spinal injury paralysis.

Mervyn Whyte, of the NW200, previously said: "What Claire has achieved is remarkable.

"Her determination and courage are an inspiration to everyone."