A former Marymass Mary who had to learn to walk again after breaking her back has turned her life around to become a fitness instructor.

Inspirational Adrienne Thomson broke her back after falling out of a window in a freak accident on Boxing Day 2012.

The 23-year-old was told by doctors that she was just one inch away from full body paralysis.

Adrienne spent three months in a body brace, had metal plates inserted into her back and had to learn to walk again.

But just months after the fall, Adrienne had made a full recovery and even more incredibly, managed to complete her HNC in Dance Performance.

Adrienne, who was a Marymass Mary in 2009, told the Times: “The doctors told me if I had hit my spine three centimetres lower I would have been paralysed from the neck down.

“That was really scary to hear that.

“I know I have been extremely lucky to have survived without any lasting damage.”

Before her accident Adrienne, of Golf Place, had dreamed of a career in dance and after completing her HNC she went on to finish her HND in Dance performance.

And just two years after her accident Adrienne danced on stage in front of the world during the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth games then, along with her fellow dancers were treated to a private dinner with Rod Stewart.

But ultimately she decided her future lay in a fitness career so she went back to college to complete a HND in Personal Training and Nutrition. 

She is now a fully qualified Zumba instructor and Personal Trainer, working at the Crutherland Hotel in East Kilbride.

Adrienne, who also volunteers at Vennel Gardens in Irvine, as well as finding time to workout four times a week, said: “I have always been a very active person so for me there was just no way I was going to let my accident stop me.

“I could have just went into an office job or something that didn’t involve a lot of activity, but that’s just not me.”

She added: “I decided that dance wasn’t for me in the end because I wanted to do something to help other people in the way that I got help after my accident.

“Since I have become a personal trainer I have been able to help people who are regaining their fitness or movement after accidents themselves.

“To be able to be part of their recovery has been very rewarding.” Incredibly, unstoppable Adrienne is not finished yet and will start an International Sports Management Degree at Glasgow Caledonian University next month.

She said: “I’m excited about starting this course because it could lead to some amazing opportunities to work with big sporting names like Nike or Adidas or even lead to the Olympic Games so it’s very exciting.”