Thrilled Tania Thompson drove off in the first prize in The Argus' competition to win a Mercedes - and there could not have been a more deserving winner.

Three years ago, Tania's husband PC Gary Thompson was stabbed with a kitchen knife while answering a 999 call.

He survived horrific injuries to battle his way back to health and bravely returned to the beat after six months off.

Mother-of-two Tania, 39, was one of more than 5,000 people to enter the contest, which culminated in a tense showdown among the final ten at Brighton Marina.

After sliding into the seat of the plush A-Class Mercedes-Benz, she told how her family was getting back on track after the attack which almost ripped it apart.

She said: "It was a terrible time. My little boy was six weeks old and I was recovering from a Caesarean.

"Then a year later came the court case, and I lost my dad and nan around the same time. It got really bad for us and it has taken a long time to get over it. It has been a bit of a roller-coaster.

"But we had two small children and tried to muddle through and get on with our lives.

"Obviously we still live it. It's something you don't ever forget. But we're getting our lives sorted out as a family and now some lovely things are happening to us."

Mrs Thompson, from Portslade, said the attack had a devastating effect but she refused to let it wreck their lives.

The couple tried to keep as much as possible from their children Joel, now two, and Holly, four, to protect them.

PC Thompson needed counselling but was determined to return to the job he loved.

She said: "Gary has been very brave. He's had some situations like that arise since then and has had to relive it. At first I felt very vulnerable, even in my own home.

"Entering the competition to win the car was just one of the ways of getting on with our lives."

PC Thompson was not on hand to witness his wife's win on Saturday - he was asleep after his night shift.