'God is doing beautiful things'

Stabbing victim Abigail Witchalls is regaining feeling all through her body and said of her remarkable recovery today: "God is doing beautiful things."

For the first time since the shocking attack four weeks ago which left her paralysed, she can move her head and breathe on her own, and today she issued a statement in her own words.

Mrs Witchalls, 26, was stabbed in the neck while out walking with her 22-month-old son Joseph near their home in Little Bookham, Surrey on 20 April. There were fears she would never walk or talk again and her plight has gripped the nation.

But after treatment at St George's Hospital in Tooting and now at the specialist Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore which has some of the world's best spinal injury doctors, she is making remarkable progress.

Today she said: "The staff here are wonderful and I am making progress every day. I have sensation over most of my body and the pain is less now.

"I can move my head but as yet I cannot move my arms and legs. I can breathe and speak on my own for short periods.

"Please pass on my thanks to everyone for their support and prayers. God is doing beautiful things." Mrs Witchalls was expected to die when she first arrived in hospital. In the days that followed there were fears that she would remain paralysed from the neck down and would never be able to breathe without the help of a respirator.

But she has astounded medical experts with her recovery so far, overcoming the odds to the joy of her family. Her mother-in-law, Chantal, has told friends she believes "a worldwide circle of prayer" has helped.

Consultant in spinal rehabilitation, Dr Fred Middleton, said: "Abigail has sustained a very complex injury. With injuries such as this it can take months before it becomes clearer as to any likely outcome for the patient.

"Abigail is an extremely courageous and motivated patient which, along with the continued support of her family, will significantly help her rehabilitation."

Mrs Witchalls's husband, Benoit, has said the whole family is proud of his "remarkable" wife. He spoke of their joy at her recovery in an interview to be screened tonight on BBC's Crimewatch programme along with a reconstruction of the stabbing. He said: "We feel very lucky and very blessed because she is fully present as herself ... it's a great joy." Mr Witchalls, 26, an engineer, said his wife's overriding concern had been for their son.

"You can see in her face when she sees Joseph - the reason that the first word that she mouthed was 'happy' - was because she was so relieved that he came out of it unscathed, physically."

He added: "She's a remarkable character. I think I've had a crash course in spinal injury... it's a case of wait and see really, but she's still got her smile, which is very comforting to see."

Surrey Police have said they are following several lines of inquiry including one involving a man who killed himself soon after the attack. Richard Cazaly, 23, lived less than half a mile from the Witchalls and his name was given to police early in the investigation but he was not arrested as his description did not fit with the one supplied by the victim.

Cazaly died in an Edinburgh hospital on 30 April after taking an overdose. Detective Superintendent Adrian Harper said Surrey Police have received more than 700 calls from the public, but still need help in providing "the final piece of the puzzle".