A mum-of-four has been hailed an inspiration after posting a smiling selfie from her hospital bed – after being told she may never WALK again.

Tough Amanda Newton broke her back in a freak cycling accident after she careered down a hill and smashed into a signpost.

But the 44-year-old decided to let her friends and family know she was okay by posting a smiling selfie from her hospital bed that night – while wearing a neck brace.

The mum-of-four fractured her spine and broke her collarbone after her bicycle brakes failed and she smashed into a sign post.

She lay hidden in long grass on Bury Hill, West Sussex, for hours before her cries for help were heard by a passing cyclist who came to the rescue.

But the same night of the life-changing accident on Monday morning, she summoned the strength to post a photo of herself smiling and shared the heart-breaking news that she will never walk with friends and family.

Amanda, an avid runner and cyclist, was rushed to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton where she was told she is likely to be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

She said: “No easy way to tell you all this, my back brake failed on Bury Hill this morning and I lost control and ended up in a massive bush but typical me managed to collide with a sign post.

“As a result I have broken all my left ribs… broken my collar bone and broken my back.

“I don’t want to make anyone sad or upset but I’m not going to walk again… but will now at least beat all my running races in my wheel chair.”

She was inundated with hundreds of replies from friends who called her an inspiration.

Amanda, who underwent surgery on Tuesday, said: “I am overwhelmed with your kindness and I am such a lucky, lucky lady even with all this going on.”

Amanda’s mum Mary Newton, 66, said: “I’m so proud of her.

“When I saw her on Sunday night I was amazed she was being so positive.

“I was devastated when I found out but she’s told us we cant be anything but positive either.”

“She’s already informed us that if she can’t run or cycle any more she will be having a pink wheelchair and will carry on doing marathons in that.”

Amanda’s father Tony runs his own judo company at 72-years-old.

Mary said: “Her active lifestyle and positive outlook on life definitely comes from him.”

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