The friends and family of a Hilperton woman critically injured in a motorcycle crash have stripped off to raise money for life-saving equipment for her.

Gemma Holmes, 25, from Hilperton, was airlifted to hospital in September after her motor scooter collided with a parked car on the A350 at Chalford near Westbury.

She suffered major head and neck injuries and, since waking from a coma, has had extensive physiotherapy.

While in hospital she discovered she was also pregnant, and is expecting her first child in the summer.

She is undergoing treatment at the Mineral Water Hospital in Bath, but after her first visit home last Friday, her family are hoping she’ll be back at their Dilton Marsh home in time for Christmas.

Speaking on Friday her mother, Julie Green, said: “It’s lovely to have her here; I can’t wait for her to come home. We hope she’ll be coming back for Christmas, but that depends on how much she has progressed. She’s done really well so far, the doctors say not many patients progress so quickly.”

The family will need to buy specialist equipment before Gemma can return home permanently, including a wheelchair and high-quality mattress following the damage done to her spine.

Friends and family have organised a charity calendar, the proceeds of which will go to Gemma’s fund, as well as Wiltshire Air Ambul-ance, who saved her life after the accident.

Tabitha Snell-McLellan and sister Jaz McLellan have organised the calendar, arranging sponsorship for each month from local companies.

She said: “All Gemma’s friends have got involved. Everybody involved in the picture-taking has been amazing. They brought their own props along and we all had a good laugh.”

A series of fundraising events have taken place, including a reunion gig by former Peewee’s Bar house band Lucy La Stique in Bradford on Avon.

A day-long celebration and charity auction will be held at the Ship Inn, Trowbridge, tomorrow, with a raffle, face painting and performances by local DJs from noon.

Gemma said: “I want to thank everyone involved. I have a lot of good friends. I’m looking forward to coming home, I am so happy about it.”

The calendar, called Gurt Lush in the West Country, is available for £10 from Tab-Lets and Tinker Nails in Trowbridge, and the Three Horse Shoes pub in Bradford, and at http://gurtlushinthe westcountry.moonfruit.com