A WARRINGTON Wolves fan who has been in hospital for nearly a month following a devastating accident has visited by her favourite player.

Lauren-Ashley Ryder, from Great Sankey, was admitted to the major trauma ward at Aintree Hospital after she was hit by a car while riding her motorbike on Cromwell Avenue on Tuesday, December 19.

The 22-year-old broke her pelvis in two places, broke her left arm and suffered a punctured lung in the crash at the junction with Sankey Way, having spent 40 minutes lying in the road waiting for an ambulance

Wire star Stefan Ratchford paid a visit to the ward on Monday, January 15, as his number one fan was set to mark four weeks in hospital.

Lauren-Ashley, who now lives in Birchwood, said: "I just remember waking up in the middle of the road - I thought it was a dream.

“Apparently I was trying to stand up after the accident, but I’ll never be able to ride a motorbike again.”

Lauren-Ashley’s spirits took a further blow when her granddad William, known to her as B, died aged 78 earlier this month while she was in hospital.

But a visit from England international Ratchford ‘made her day’, and Lauren-Ashley is now hoping to be out of hospital in time for the new Super League season.

She added: “It’s been horrible, especially over Christmas and New Year and not being able to say goodbye to B.

“The last thing he said to me was ‘keep smiling beauty’ - I’ll always remember that.”

“I’ve been a fan all my life and I’m obsessed with Stef.

“Hopefully I’ll be out in time for the start of the season - the first match had better be the best game I’ve ever seen.”

Stefan brought Lauren-Ashley a signed Warrington Wolves shirt and is hoping to arrange for her to watch the Wire training once she is out of hospital.

He said: “She asked me if I could come down and sign her cast but I thought I’d bring something better.

“We’ll let her off not attending the trial game against Salford at the weekend, but hopefully she’ll be out for the Leeds game and hopefully we can start the season in the right way.

“It would be a nice present for her coming out of hospital.”