Astonishing moment Britain's bravest mother pushed pram carrying her baby girl to safety before she was mown down by maniac drunk driver in shocking hit-and-run

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  • EXCLUSIVE: Footage shows Becky Sharp pushing baby Lorena out of harm’s way

This is the moment Britain’s bravest mother pushed her child’s pram to safety before she was mown down by a drink driver and left for dead with a serious brain injury. 

Becky Sharp, 36, was crossing the road with daughter Lorena in her stroller in the Redhill area of Bournemouth when scaffolder Dale Clark, 38, drove along at 40mph in a 30mph zone in his Toyota RAV4 following a vodka binge.

The footage, exclusively published by MailOnline, shows the car travelling along the outside lane on Redhill Avenue on April 11 this year shortly before 9am and then swerving across to the inside lane at the last second as Mrs Sharp crosses the road.

She pushes the pram out of the way and Lorena escaped without injury despite her pram overturning as it trundled to the edge of the road. But her mother spent eight weeks in a coma and has been in a rehabilitation unit since the crash. 

Clark drove off, leaving Mrs Sharp for dead. She suffered life-altering injuries including brain trauma and multiple fractures that have left her needing to use a wheelchair and needing long-term medical care.

Becky Sharp (circled, in front of Dale Clark's car) was crossing the road when Clark dived across the road in his Toyota RAV4 at the last minute

Becky Sharp (circled, in front of Dale Clark’s car) was crossing the road when Clark dived across the road in his Toyota RAV4 at the last minute

Dale Clark was jailed for three-and-a-half years at Bournemouth Crown Court

Dale Clark was jailed for three-and-a-half years at Bournemouth Crown Court 

Becky Sharp, 36, has ongoing cognitive issues following the crash

Becky Sharp, 36, has ongoing cognitive issues following the crash

Becky Sharp (centre) pictured holding her baby girl Lorena before the hit-and-run. She is sitting in a park with her daughters Matilda (left) and Finnula (right)

Becky Sharp (centre) pictured holding her baby girl Lorena before the hit-and-run. She is sitting in a park with her daughters Matilda (left) and Finnula (right) 

Lorena (centre) posing for a photo with her sisters Matilda (left) Lorena and Finnula (right). She miraculously escaped injury

Lorena (centre) posing for a photo with her sisters Matilda (left) Lorena and Finnula (right). She miraculously escaped injury

The footage, taken from a local business further down Redhill Avenue, shows Clark speeding along the outside lane of the one-way street ahead of jumping lanes at the last second to avoid a right turn.

Prior to Clark switching over, Mrs Sharp had started to cross the road with Lorena – and as she realises the drink-addled driver has made a last-minute dart across the street her reflexes kick in.

Clark had been drinking that day and had ‘girls and drugs on his mind’ according to prosecutors as he wove his way across the road, using his phone as a Sat Nav in his lap after contacting drug dealers earlier in the day. 

READ MORE: Hero mother who pushed her daughter’s pram to safety vows ‘I’d do it again to save my children’ 

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As Clark realises what he’s done, the brake lights on his Toyota light up and the whole car pitches forward – but by then, it’s too late.

Lorena’s buggy can be seen rolling to the side of the road between a pair of trees as Ms Sharp is thrown through the air ‘like a ragdoll’ from the force of the collision.

She was thrown the length of a cricket field by the impact.

But barely a second passes before monstrous Clark then sets off again at speed, leaving Mrs Sharp for dead.

A witness memorised his numberplate and before long police had tracked him down. He had also googled ‘hit and run Bournemouth’ in the hours after the crash.

Clark gave a reading of 46mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – over the limit of 35mg – and told police he had drunk vodka and taken £210 of cocaine in the two days before the incident after falling out with his grandparents, who he lived with.

In his police interview he admitted he had ‘wiped her out’, saying he ‘went into panic mode and s*** myself and ran away’.

Last week Clark, of New Milton, Hampshire, was jailed for three and a half years at Bournemouth Crown Court after admitting causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop at an accident and drink driving.

Addressing the scaffolder, Judge William Mousley said: ‘You quite clearly were not looking where you were going and you hit Rebecca Sharp. 

‘Very luckily and miraculously she had pushed the pushchair ahead of her so you did not collide with her youngest child.

‘The overall picture is that her life has been changed seriously forever. The impact on her and her family has been monumental.’

The scene on Redhill Avenue, Bournemouth, Dorset, after Mrs Sharp was hit by Dale Clark

The scene on Redhill Avenue, Bournemouth, Dorset, after Mrs Sharp was hit by Dale Clark

The pram was also thrown into the air, but the baby was not harmed and taken to hospital as a precaution

The pram was also thrown into the air, but the baby was not harmed and taken to hospital as a precaution

This is the junction that Dale Clark swerved across at the last second as Becky Sharp crossed the road, sending her flying the length of a cricket pitch

This is the junction that Dale Clark swerved across at the last second as Becky Sharp crossed the road, sending her flying the length of a cricket pitch

Clark, a scaffolder from New Milton, Hampshire, was sentenced to three years and eight months' imprisonment

Clark, a scaffolder from New Milton, Hampshire, was sentenced to three years and eight months’ imprisonment

Mrs Sharp, pictured at Bournemouth Crown Court for Clark's sentencing. She said he refused to look at her throughout the hearing

Mrs Sharp, pictured at Bournemouth Crown Court for Clark’s sentencing. She said he refused to look at her throughout the hearing

Mrs Sharp was given a blood transfusion at the scene by paramedics and airlifted to Southampton hospital, arriving in a vegetative state.

She had a severe traumatic brain injury, fracture to the skull, ribs, pelvis and lower left leg and a lacerated spleen.

Surgeons had to drill into her skull to relieve the pressure on her skull caused by her brain swelling.

READ MORE: Hero mother who pushed baby daughter’s pram to safety reveals how she missed their child’s first birthday and steps

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Doctors were not optimistic that Becky would pull through, but after the dosage of sedatives was slowly reduced her eyes flickered and she came out of the coma.

Since then, she has been undergoing intensive rehabilitation at a neurology unit in Poole Hospital, where she has been undergoing speech therapy and is being taught to walk again with the help of physiotherapists.

While she has regained her speech and her memory is improving, the extent of her brain injury means she gets tired very easily.

Mrs Sharp was in court to see him sentenced and had hoped he might express some remorse for ‘turning my life upside down’. But Clark failed to even look at her as she sat in a wheelchair with her husband Dan by her side.

She said: ‘I wanted to go to court because I was angry, and I wanted to see him. He did not make any eye contact and did not express any remorse.

‘He said nothing directly to me. I know he has written a letter to the court, and his mother came up to us at the end and said sorry. 

‘His grandmother mouthed “sorry”. That was kind. But I am upset that he hasn’t said sorry to me directly.’

In an exclusive interview from her hospital room, charity fundraiser Mrs Sharp said she was pleased the judge had praised her as a hero, and said she would do it all again to protect her loved ones.

She said: ‘That was nice of him to recognise that I pushed my daughter out of the way, but I would do it all over again if it was to save one of my children.

‘I would do it multiple times if needs be. I am just grateful that Lorena was not hurt and that my other two children were not with me. I am so grateful that Lorena was not injured.’

But the incident, which she cannot remember, saw her miss a number of Lorena’s milestone moments, from her first teeth and first birthday to her first steps.

Becky with her three daughters in a winter wonderland attraction before the crash

Becky with her three daughters in a winter wonderland attraction before the crash 

Becky pictured holding a glass of champagne at the Hotel Miramar in Bournemouth on her wedding day

Becky pictured holding a glass of champagne at the Hotel Miramar in Bournemouth on her wedding day

Becky with her husband Dan at Poole Hospital, where she has been undergoing rehabilitation

Becky with her husband Dan at Poole Hospital, where she has been undergoing rehabilitation

Remarkably, while she says she is angry at Clark for the devastating effect of his recklessness, she does not have any strong feelings of bitterness towards him – even admitting that over time she could even forgive him.

She added: ‘I can’t say I forgive him now, but over time maybe. I don’t feel any real bitterness as he has gone to prison.

‘He has been given a prison sentence which I think is just. The maximum was five years, so it was fair. His life has changed. I’m not sure I can ask for more.’

Mrs Sharp has ongoing cognitive issues and problems with her memory, suffers from fatigue and has physical complications from her leg fracture that mean she will suffer ongoing pain.

Her husband Dan said his family’s lives had changed forever and Clark had shown no compassion when the scaffolder left his wife for dead in the street.

Mr Sharp was left dealing with his children’s ‘pain and confusion’ because their mother was not there and how much she had missed out on while recovering in hospital.

The couple have three daughters, Matilda, Finnula and Lorena and aged eight, six and one.

He said: ‘Thankfully, our 11-month-old daughter was left unhurt thanks to Becky’s instincts to save her life in that moment.

‘But the lives of Becky, our daughters and our family and friends were changed forever when Dale Clark made the decision to leave her for dead in the street.

‘She has missed our daughter’s first birthday, first tooth and first steps, such precious times all stolen by Dale Clark.

‘The whole period feels like a lifetime and I still don’t know if I will be able to rebuild our life together.’

Mrs Sharp’s father Alan Higgin described her as ‘bright, vivacious, kind and gentle’. 

He described the months following the accident as ‘the worst time in our family’s lives’ and an ‘all-consuming, numbing nightmare of worry’.

He said: ‘The whole family are innocent victims of this callous and entirely avoidable accident.’

Mrs Sharp is hopeful that she will be able to watch her husband running in the London Marathon next year with his close friend Ross MacLeod where they will be raising funds for the Brain Research Trust.

Mr Sharp said: ‘I am looking forward to it and just being able to take back some control and be productive to raise money for a great charity that funds a lot of research.’