Soldier Sarah Ann Garrity cheated death in a drunken Magaluf nightclub brawl after trying to intervene in a row between the two friends she was sharing a hotel room with, it was claimed today.
The Glasgow-born squaddie, 22, had her throat cut from a shard of flying glass after she reportedly attempted to sort out a problem between fellow soldier friend Sydney Cole and another British pal named only as Deborah.
Cole and Deborah had stopped speaking to each other after a 14-hour alcohol bender and the situation turned violent after Sarah tried to get the two women to make up, the judge investigating the case is understood to have been told.
Cole (right) and Ms Garrity (left) were said by police to have been friends. It has been reported that Ms Garrity was stabbed when trying to get Cole and another woman called 'Deborah' to make up
Island daily Ultima Hora reported Londoner Cole, 19, had told the judge before she was remanded in custody on Monday night that a glass she threw on the floor broke and part of it hit Sarah in the neck after her Scots friend punched her in the face and she reacted by pulling her hair.
The third woman said to have been involved in the near-tragedy is believed to have been questioned by police but her version of events has not yet been made public.
Witnesses have told police Cole threw the glass directly at Sarah and not on the floor as she insisted.
She is currently languishing in a Majorcan jail after being told she was under investigation for a crime of 'wounding with a dangerous weapon'.
She has not yet been charged with any offence, as is normal in Spain where formal charges are only laid shortly before trial.
Sarah, who lives in Middlesborough and is in the Royal Logistics Corps, spent 24 hours in intensive care before being moved to a general ward yesterday after her condition improved following a life-saving op.
Reports in the UK have pointed to the Monday 1am incident at Banana's Disco happening after the women had been on a six-hour bender, although Sydney is understood to have told the judge they started drinking at 11am in the unnamed hotel they were staying at, before continuing to booze on the beach and moving on to an event at a bar after downing more alcohol in their room.
Sydney Cole was allegedly seen arguing with her friend Sarah Garrity before 'glassing her with a beer bottle' in the shoulder
Cole was quoted in island paper Ultima Hora, in comments thought to have been taken from a court statement leaked to the local press, as saying: 'It was an accident. Sarah and I were very drunk because we had been drinking since 11 on Monday morning but I didn't want to cut her throat. She is my best friend.
'We began drinking at 11am in the hotel, afterwards in a bar and then again in the room. Then we went to an event with a free bar and we had shots, vodka, gin and other drinks.'
Rival daily Diario de Mallorca, which carried similar quotes believed to have been taken from the same statement, quoted Cole as saying: 'Everything was an accident. I didn't want to hurt her, she is my best friend.'
Official court sources confirmed yesterday/on Tuesday Cole had been remanded in custody after appearing in court.
The source said: 'A duty judge on Monday night remanded the young women in prison.
Cole, 19, from London, being escorted by two Civil Guards to court in the Palma to be questioned by a judge yesterday
'She is initially being investigated on suspicion of an alleged crime of wounding with a dangerous weapon.'
It comes after Garrity yesterday broke down in tears declaring 'I am so lucky to be alive'.
A senior source at the Hospital Son Espases, where Sarah had been in intensive care, told MailOnline that the attack narrowly missed her jugular vein.
The source added: 'Sarah is making a miraculous recovery. She's a very lucky girl. We can't believe she's still here.
'When we told her this she just cried ''I could have died, I'm so lucky'.
'She lost a lot of blood, underwent an emergency operation and it was touch and go she would pull through.
'It's incredible how well she's recovering. We keep telling her how fortunate she's been because her life was in real danger.'
Ms Garrity has been moved from the intensive care unit to a regular ward at Hospital Son Espases in Palma, the capital of the Spanish island of Majorca.
The hospital source added: 'Sarah's now sitting up in bed, talking, eating and drinking. She's chatting on her mobile phone with her family.
'It has surprised us all how quickly she is recovering. Most of all, it's surprised and shocked her.'
The two female soldiers are close friends who were on holiday together. Witnesses describe seeing a blood bath as Ms Garrity stumbled out of the Banas de Magaluf club where the attack took place and collapsed on the street, clutching her neck.
Ms Garrity kisses Cole on the cheek in a picture posted on Cole's Instagram account
When para medics arrived, Ms Garrity was in a critical condition after losing a lot of blood.
Witnesses also claimed seeing the two women arguing at the bar prior to the attack.
A man named as Suleiman, who was working at a kebab shop next door to the nightclub, described the scene as a 'bloodbath' when he saw the injured soldier, who is in the Royal Logistics Corps, collapse outside his restaurant.
He added: 'I couldn't look it was so horrible. It was horrific. There was blood everywhere.
'I could hardly bring myself to look. It was a huge gash, and quite a hole that wouldn't stop bleeding.'
The hospital source revealed that Ms Garrity's family are expected to arrive later this week to visit her.
Police are also due to see her tomorrow to take a formal statement. Until now, she has not had any visitors.
Well-placed sources said a decision about an eventual prosecution could depend on whether Ms Garrity decides to make a formal complaint against her close friend.
Ms Garrity, who was born in Scotland but lives in a detached home which has a solar powered roof in Middlesbrough, spoke with her family for the first time today.
'It was very emotional and we are expecting them soon. The doctors have already told them how lucky Sarah has been. She's in very good spirits and is looking forward to seeing them.
'Sarah is a very strong girl, she is a soldier after all. She has been very positive, despite what happened. She just wants to go home and we are optimistic that it
