Ex-Emmerdale star Roxanne Pallet has spoken of her gratitude to the emergency services who rescued her after a horror crash.

The 36-year-old actress was left trapped after she crashed into a wall while competing in a stock car race.

Pallett, who is from Carlisle, lost control just seconds into the lap, later admitting she feared she was going to die.

She was airlifted to hospital but later discharged with minor injuries.

Writing on Instagram, Pallett thanked her fans for their support, but had a special message for the lifesavers who came to her rescue.

"Thank you for all your caring messages of support," she wrote. "Your words made me smile when I was in a great deal of pain in a haze of upset and shock.

"I want to praise the phenomenal emergency teams who helped me to safety; Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Yorkshire Air Ambulance, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and Hull Royal Infirmary.

"Also, Outlaw Oval Racing and Hunmanby Raceway team who stayed by my side until I was airlifted, thank you so much.

"And my Minster FM radio family who have been my sanctuary of support. I'm bruised but blessed. Will be okay."

The actress later told the Daily Mirror: "The minute I pressed on the pedal, I knew there was too much power.

"My heart sank, stomach knotted. I remember it in slow motion, knowing I would hit the wall and it's the scariest thing... knowing your life is out of your hands.

"I felt crushing disappointment that this was it, life over."

The actress, best known for starring as Jo Sugden in Emmerdale from 2005 until 2008, was taking part in a stock car race with her Minster FM co-host Ben Fry at a racetrack in York on Wednesday afternoon when the accident happened.

The crash left her trapped in the wreckage, unable to speak or move, and she said she struggled to remain conscious as firefighters cut her free.

She said: "I could feel myself drifting away, I wanted to just close my eyes.

"But I was terrified I would never wake up. I asked God to help me hold on because I wasn't ready to go yet."

She was left with two badly sprained wrists, extensive head-to-toe bruising and concussion and said her thoughts were of her boyfriend of eight months, Lee Walton, 40, as she was cut out of the wreckage.

She said: "I prayed in my mind to God. I said, 'I've finally met the man I want to spend my life with and I need to stay here for him. Please let me live'.

"I was sitting there, scared and trembling, and all I could think was, 'I just need Lee'. I pictured him at work and thought, 'He doesn't even know'.

"But Ben had called him and was at the side of the car repeating Lee's words. He said, 'Lee says stay awake, stay strong. He says how much he loves you'.

"Hearing that made me hold on."