Breaking her leg while bat watching gave a former nurse the push she needed to give up her NHS career and pursue her dream of opening an animal health remedy business.
Leigh Smyth, from Otterburn, Northumberland, who had to take a career break after the accident on the Island of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, now owns a business specialising in natural and holistic health remedies for animals.
She qualified in animal aromatics and is a member of the International Society of Animal Aromatics Practitioners and now works full-time on her business, Essentials for Equilibrium.
She offers face-to-face, phone, post or email consultations in a range of therapies, including magnotherapy, Reiki and aromatherapy. And animal owners from as far afield as Manchester and London are contacting her for help with a range of issues from allergies to behavioural problems.
Scores of domestic pets, farm animals and even a tortoise have benefited from her skills.
She said: "I've always had an interest in animal health and welfare and a few years ago when I suffered a broken leg while bat watching on the Island of Mull, I had to take some time off from my very stressful job as an NHS manager. It really gave me time to think about the direction my life was taking and I decided to follow my dream to train and qualify to work with animals in an holistic environment.
"As a professional nurse with 18 years' experience, I'm very interested in the science behind healing techniques, and while conventional medicine has its place, it can sometimes be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut and often has unpleasant side- effects.
"I established the business when I saw a gap in the market for safe, gentle but effective healing therapies that use age-old remedies and that have both anecdotal and scientific evidence of success."
Although she initially continued nursing alongside getting the company on its feet, nationwide demand for her services has resulted in her taking the plunge and devoting herself to the business full-time.
She said: "The business has gone better than I could have hoped and the majority of my clients come via referrals, which is a fantastic endorsement of the benefits of an alternative approach to animal health."
As well as consultations, she also runs two in-depth `Holistic Health for Animals' courses in locations including Hexham, Kelso and Ripon, to provide a grounding in holistic therapy for people who want to know more about how to keep their animals happy and healthy.
Level one is a two-day course and Level two is a four-day course and both include manuals and internationally-recognised certificates.