BY IAN CROUCH

A woman is recovering in the John Hunter Hospital after a bad crash at Tanilba Bay.

Nelson Bay police say the 36-year-old was driving along Lemon Tree Passage Road just before 5 yesterday afternoon when she suffered a medical episode and blacked out at the wheel.

Moments later, her car crashed off the road and into a tree outside the local golf club.

She was trapped for about 40 minutes before being freed and taken to the John Hunter with serious leg injuries.

The woman is reported to be in a stable condition.