Dramatic rescue of horse rider to appear on TV
THE DRAMATIC rescue of a Harrogate teenager who was crushed twice by his horse features in the latest episode of a TV series that showcases the work of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Shaun Wilson was schooling his horse on a cross-country course during an open day at the Red House Estate, Moor Monkton, when the accident happened.
The 16-year-old came off at one of the fences and was crushed as his horse tried to get back on his feet.
The incident was witnessed by Shaun’s shocked mother Alison and twin brother Ben.
Mrs Wilson, from Birstwith, in Nidderdale, said: “They made a mistake at the fence and the horse had tipped over backwards onto Shaun and then, as he tried to get back on his feet, slipped back again, hitting Shaun twice.
“Both Ben and I ran towards him.
“I was trying to grab the horse and Ben grabbed his brother by his body protector and pulled him out.
“Ben was absolutely brilliant and so was Shaun. He was so calm with the medics when they arrived, whereas I was just in pieces.”
Shaun was stabilised at the scene and airlifted by Yorkshire Air Ambulance to hospital where scans revealed he had shattered one of his vertebrae.
Surgeons at Leeds General Infirmary fitted titanium rods in his back and the teenager was in a back brace for several months.
But that didn’t stop the pupil from Harrogate’s Rossett School, who wants to be a doctor, from getting top GCSE results, and he is now also back in the saddle.
Mrs Wilson added: “Thankfully Shaun is absolutely fine now and I am so grateful to the air ambulance service.
“They were brilliant, letting me fly with Shaun to hospital.”
Shaun features in Monday night’s episode of the UKTV show, which follows the lifesaving work of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
is made by Yorkbased Air Television.
The Yorkshire Air Ambulance serves five million people across the region and carries out more than 1,250 missions every year.
The charity operates two stateof-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.
will air on Really at 9pm.