SHE was a fit and active pensioner who lost in a leg in an accident outside a newly-opened Southampton supermarket.

Marion Mason, 83, was walking across a car park at the Shirley Road branch of Lidl in March last year when she was hit by a van.

She was rushed to hospital and had to have her right leg amputated above the knee.

The pensioner was due to undergo another round of surgery but the operation was cancelled after she caught Covid-19 while still in hospital.

Following the accident Marion’s family instructed serious injury experts at Irwin Mitchell to investigate what happened and help her access the care she needed.

After being discharged from hospital Marion was transferred to specialist accommodation rather than a care home.

The two-storey terraced house where she and her husband had lived for 64 years is no longer suitable and long-term accommodation is being sought.

Now Marion is supporting Limb Loss Awareness Month by describing her road to recovery.

She said: "I had always been very independent before the accident but the past year has been difficult.

"Sadly we had to move out of our family home but my husband and I have been able to continue to live together and are now looking to the future."

The supermarket had been open for less than two weeks when the accident happened.

The pensioner's right leg was amputated following three operations to try to save the badly-damaged limb. She also had pins inserted into her upper left leg and hip.

Marion said: "It’s still early days but I have already been looking into prosthetic limbs and have regular physiotherapy and hydrotherapy."

The pensioner praised her family for instructing solicitors while she was still in hospital. It meant she was able to receive support and guidance even before she was discharged.

Ruth Johnson, the specialist serious injury lawyer representing her, added: "The past year has been incredibly difficult for Marion and her family.

"The incident itself led to her having to undergo life-changing surgery, and after contracting Covid-19 whilst in hospital.

"Marion’s injuries continue to have a significant impact on her life and the lives of those around her."

A police spokesman said no-one had been charged in connection with the incident.