Rider wheelchair bound after biker scares horse in Defford

Alicia Askey was left with two broken ankles and a broken leg when she was trampled on by her horse Teddy while riding in Defford, near Worcester.

Miss Askey, age 19, had been riding with friends on May 8 when they encountered a motorbike while on their route.

Despite signalling to the motorcyclist to slow down, the speed and noise of the motorbike startled the horses causing Miss Askey to fall off before being trampled.

Ms Askey was riding on Teddy [Pictured] when a motorcyclist spooked the horse and led to her falling off and being trampled on (Image: Alicia Askey)

"I ride regularly and have been around that area quite a lot but I've had no bad incidents before," she said.

"If this man's doing this, for all he knew I was dead in the road.

"People need to be aware of what's right and what's not, the way some people pass is ridiculous.

"You have to hope the horse doesn't react. It's not just about spooking horses, it can kill people in cars - imagine if it was a child."

Miss Askey, from Redditch, said the horses had not been startled by a passing tractor just seconds before the motorcyclist came across them.

"The road has a blind bend," she added.

"One horse almost collided with a car, one bolted home, it could have been a lot worse."

Miss Askey feared the worst when she was unable to move her body having been trampled on by the horse.

"I thought I was paralysed," she said.

"I couldn't move or feel any part of my body.

"I couldn't even talk. I eventually gathered the strength to sit up and that's when I realised the pain I was in.

"I was screaming in pain."

Ms Askey, aged 19, regularly rides horses but thought she was paralysed when she couldn't move her body (Image: Alicia Askey)

Miss Askey said her friends and horses were okay after the incident which she described as a "miracle".

After spending a week in hospital, she underwent surgery that has left her "very limited" in day-to-day tasks and forced her to close her business.

"It's affected everything, it's destroyed my life.

"I've had to shut down my business as I have no source of income.

"It's impacted me both mentally and physically.

"My recovery is six months if I have no complications."

Her mum has set up a GoFundMe -  titled Help Alicia have peace of mind so she can heal and recover - to help while she is unable to work.

Miss Askey said she has had no contact from police since the incident and is pinning hopes of neighbouring houses having camera footage.

"I would say 70 per cent of people who pass horses don't slow down," she said.

"If a rider asks you to stop, then do it.

"People should be more aware that you can get into trouble for this."

West Mercia Police said: "The incident was reported to us around 4pm on 8 May.

"The incident was investigated as far as reasonably possible, but no suspect was identified.

"The case has been closed, however should further information become available this would be investigated."

Anyone who has footage can send it to hamilton.lyndon-griffiths@newsquest.co.uk to be passed on to Miss Askey.