Hammond speaks about near fatal crash

Richard Hammond has spoken about his remarkable recovery from the high-speed crash that nearly ended his life.

The Top Gear presenter told the Daily Mirror: "It was 50/50 what was going to happen. I may have been dead, I may not have woken up."

Just 33 days after the crash, which happened during an attempt to break the British land-speed record, Hammond is on the verge of returning home to continue his convalescence.

"At first they said I'd be in hospital for 15 months," he said. "Yet here I am ready to go back home after five weeks."

"It's incredible that every doctor I've spoken to tells me I'm on course for a 100 per cent recovery."