BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN - LEDGER AND WILLIAMS BONDED AFTER ACCIDENT

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN co-stars HEATH LEDGER and MICHELLE WILLIAMS are grateful for her sledding accident on the set of the movie, because it sparked their romance.

The two stars realised they had deep feelings for each other "pretty quickly" after the freak accident brought them together.

Williams recalls, "I look at this hill and it's enormous. I can't believe they're going to let us do it (sled) and not use stunt doubles."

After several takes the hill became more and more treacherous and when the two hit a bump, Williams went flying, severely injuring her knee.

She adds, "I was screaming in pain. It was so embarrassing - they had to cut off my pants to see if my knee was broken.

"That was my first day of work - having my pants cut off and then being dragged down a hill (on a stretcher) behind a snowmobile."

The couple have since moved in together, and their first child, MATILDA, was born in October (05).