Stag attack victim Dr Kate Stone regains consciousness

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-25712094

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A woman who was gored by a stag in the Highlands has regained consciousness after being put into a medically induced coma to aid her recovery.

Scientist Dr Kate Stone, 44, from Cambridge, was injured by the animal near Fort William last month.

She was treated by paramedics before being taken to Fort William's Belford hospital, then transferred by air to the Southern General in Glasgow.

Dr Stone has undergone surgery to repair her windpipe.

A statement released by a colleague at Dr Stone's print firm, Novalia, said she had undergone a second, successful operation on her trachea.

The statement said: "Over the past couple of days, Kate has slowly been regaining consciousness and becoming more active in terms of communicating with doctors and her family.

"She has been taken out of the intensive care unit and moved to high dependency.

"All signs point to a steady recovery and doctors will continue to monitor her progress over the next couple of weeks."

Dr Stone had been on a short break in the west Highlands when she was injured.

The incident took place late at night while she was standing with a group of friends outside a private residence in Lochailort.

A witness said the stag had taken fright and caught Dr Stone with its antlers as it ran from an enclosed garden.