A judo star critically injured in a motorbike accident in Vietnam was due to begin her long journey home to Inverness last night.
Commonwealth medallist Stephanie Inglis has been in hospital since the crash last month, and woke from an induced coma last Tuesday.
The 27-year-old’s younger sister, Stacey, said last night that she expected Miss Inglis to fly from Bangkok at about 6pm UK time and would arrive at some point today.
She was unable to say exactly what time her sister would be home, and added the family was unlikely to know which hospital in Scotland she would be taken to until about two hours before she arrives in UK airspace.
A statement on a social media page dedicated to Miss Inglis read that it would be a “difficult journey,” with scheduled stops in India, Georgia and Austria before she finally arrives back in Scotland.
Further signs of her progress emerged over the weekend when she managed to smile at doctors after being asked to hold up two fingers.
Miss Inglis was given only a 1% chance of survival by doctors at the hospital in Vietnam where she was initially treated after falling from a motorcycle taxi. She was in the country to teach English.
A campaign was set up by friends to raise money to pay for her medical bill, which were costing about £2,000 per day.
The level of donations stood at more than £302,000 as of last night.
Stacey said: “Everyone is just so excited that she’s coming home and we’re focusing on getting everything ready for her.
“The treatment in Bangkok was absolutely amazing. We could not have asked for any better, but for her to be home and for her family to be together is so important.
“It means she will have a strong support system and a process for regaining strength and rehabilitation. It’s hugely important that she comes home.”