A WINDERMERE teenager who battled her way back to health after breaking her back is preparing to ride more than 300 miles in aid of a spinal injury charity.

Deven McAlister has spent the majority of the year recovering from a serious spinal injury sustained when she jumped into a waterfall plunge pool in South Africa in January.

The 19-year-old was 10 days into her gap year in the Sabi area of the country when the accident happened and she suffered major injuries.

“It was a bunch of friends just having a bit of fun and I landed wrong in the water and broke my back,” said Deven, of Woodland Close.

Deven was diagnosed with a compressed fracture and dislocation of the spine and underwent a spinal fusion operation.

She said: “I was lucky enough to have a top specialist surgeon who carried out the spinal fusion. This at the time, and still to this day, was very hard to deal with as I was in a foreign country without my family, not just for me but for them as well.”

It took weeks for Deven to be able to walk without pain during which she underwent a course of intensive exercises and physiotherapy.

“It took a lot of time and effort, doing daily exercises which before the accident were so simple and after so exhausting,” she said.

“I will never be 100 per cent again but if you were to see me you wouldn’t know it had happened. I am just trying to get my strength back.”

However, the experience inspired Deven to do something to raise money for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation, which supports people with serious spinal injury and paralysis.

On April 22, she will begin an epic cycle from London to Paris with her cousin Becky Anderson in the hope of raising more than £3,000.

“Luckily I wasn’t paralysed but the charity helps people who are paralysed and their families and is trying to find a cure and fund research,” said Deven.

“I am training six days a week and I have just got my bike so I am just trying to get the miles up because the trip will average more than 80 miles a day for four days. We have already raised £1,500 so we are hoping to smash £3,000.”

To donate go to https://www.justgiving.com/deven-becky2015/