A TEN-YEAR-OLD girl from the Selby area is in hospital after fracturing her skull in a horse-riding accident.

Katie Benbow’s pony Rosie tripped and fell on top of her at Richmond Equestrian Centre in North Yorkshire.

Katie, from Whitley Bridge, was airlifted to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, where her condition is said to be improving, and her parents paid tribute yesterday to the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).

Her dad, Simon, said: “If we had a £1,000,000 to drop into the fund we would.

“Considering the speed with which she was brought to safety, it doesn’t bear thinking about if this service was not there.”

Her mum, Lisa, said: “We are feeling a bit more relief with every day that goes by. We can’t thank everyone enough for all their help and support.”

The accident happened on Friday, and Katie – a pupil at Henshall Primary School – remains in hospital.

She was helped at the scene by off-duty paramedic Wendy Scott, 49, of Knayton, near Thirsk, who was using her first aid skills for only the third time since being taught by the air ambulance. On Monday, May 30, Mrs Scott had to pull over on the A66 near Penrith because her daughter, Ria, six, was choking on a chocolate raisin. She had to thump Ria on the back eight to ten times before the blockage cleared.

Then, last Thursday, her own daughter was thrown from her horse at Kirklington, between Ripon and Northallerton.

She was temporarily knocked unconscious and had to be taken to the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, where she was later given the all-clear.

Mrs Scott said: “I am very pleased that I did the course, but I just hope that this isn’t a jinx that’s going to stay with me.

“I had done a first aid course ten years ago, and up until last week I had dealt with about three incidents, but none as serious as any of these.”

On the latest incident, Mrs Scott said: “As Katie lay there, a group of people ran over to her, but I could see she was unconscious.

“There were lots of parents around her and she was getting pulled about and moved, so I asked if they could step back. You have to detach yourself from the situation as much as possible.”

For information on the GNAAS first aid training, phone Peter Stead on 07887 801305.