A Norfolk girl whose life was changed forever by a crash which left her wheelchair-bound and needing 24-hour care has launched a multi million pound damages claim.

Issy Sale, 15, whose positive spirit since the accident in 2005 has astonished residents in her home village of Ludham near Great Yarmouth, said yesterday that the money would be used to help her live as independent a life as possible.

Paul Paxton, of Stewarts Law in London, the solicitor representing Issy Sale, of Norwich Road, Ludham near Great Yarmouth, said: 'It is likely to be one of the largest settlements relating to a road crash ever agreed in this country.'

The insurance claim for injuries, which include severe damage to her spinal cord, involves her technically suing her mother Jennifer who was driving the family's Ford Focus on the A1062 Horning Road at Hoveton on July 11 2005.

Issy was a back-seat passenger in the car which crossed the carriageway and collided head-on with a Ford Transit van.

Issy, who lives with her family in Norwich Road, showed her determination to bounce back even during her long recovery in Cambridge's Addenbrooke's hospital, by raising money for Children in Need.

And her mother and father Colin, who is a GP in the village, are proud of her desire to play a part in the community.

The family have helped organise Ludham's charity fun run for a number of years and Issy has helped by baking cakes to sell at the event and making the certificates given to children who participate.

She is already looking forward to helping at this year's event which will be held during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee weekend in June in aid of Nelson's Journey, the charity that helps bereaved youngsters.

Issy is modest about her academic achievements, but her mother said she is expected to achieve mainly As in the seven GCSEs she is sitting at Langley School at Loddon.

Professing a love of languages, Issy will begin A levels in French, Spanish and English in September.

She wants to pursue her languages at university and find a job where she can use them.

'Issy is only young and the money will be for the housing and all the care she needs in the future.'

Mr Paxton described it as a technicality that she was suing her mother, the driver.

'The irony is that people often end up suing their parents or spouse because they are the people they are most often with on the car,' he said.