Woman who survived hit and run accident opens dog grooming salon in Chapel St Leonards

When the doors of Dani’s Dogs open in The Esplanade today (Saturday) it will be a milestone for the mum whose children witnessed her unconscious on the roadside after a car hit her in St Leonards Drive.

Dani Clark, 29, said: “My children where traumatised having seen their mummy left unconscious in the road. I broke my wrist, two ribs, had a hairline fracture on my skull and temporary loss of hearing in my left ear.

“This came as quite a shock and while I was recovering I decided I needed to utilise my time.”

Her love of animals resulted in her decision to open a grooming salon. She said: “I am hugely passionate about animals and even spent two months in South Africa volunteering in an animal rehabilitation centre for injured and orphaned animals.

“With help from the Princes Trust charity I was able to complete a business course to enable me to run my salon smoothly and now have a mentor to help me achieve success.”

Dani studied bio-veterinary science at Lincoln University, achieving a 2.1 degree, She moved to Chapel St Leonards four years ago with partner, Sam Ellis, and they have two children, Reuben and Harper, both aged two. Dani is immensely grateful to Sam for supporting her over the past three years while she studied a City and Guilds grooming course. She said: “I have contacted numerous charities in the hope I can use my grooming skills with abandoned dogs to gain them new loving homes. I am also hoping to work alongside Chapel St Leonards new veterinary surgery.”

l Police would still like to speak to anyone who may have seen the road accident. Call 101, quoting incident number 151 of February 29.