A TEENAGE girl who was tended to by mountain rescue volunteers and winched to safety by a Coastguard helicopter after falling from a horse has thanked the ‘heroes’ who helped her.

Emelie Brewster, 15, was with four other riders on undulating ground close to Mitchells House reservoir, on the hills above Accrington, when her beloved horse Kaiser, skidded and fell, landing on top of her.

She received severe concussion and was unconscious after the accident at Cross Top Farm, close to the Accrington bypass and Baxenden Golf Club.

The Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team were called out to the incident at the request of paramedics at 7pm.

Around 15 rescue team volunteers attended and gave Emelie treatment before putting her onto a stretcher.

Because the terrain was not level, the air ambulance would not have been able to land so a coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Humberside was scrambled and Emelie was hoisted onto the airborne helicopter and taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

Emelie, from Rising Bridge, was treated for concussion and a broken shoulder but has now been released and is recovering at home looked after by her mum Sarah Heys, 36 and older sister Rebecca.

Emelie, who attends Haslingden High School, said: “I was wearing a riding helmet, thankfully, and I suppose I came out pretty lucky with a fractured shoulder and concussion.

“I was kept in the hospital for observation due to not being able to remember a thing about the accident.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to the mountain rescue crew and all the emergency services as I’m not quite sure what would’ve happened without them.

“They are heroes. One of the crew even came to see me in Liverpool while he was picking up equipment that had to go on the helicopter.”

Sarah Heys, Emilie’s mum, a nurse, said: “I was contacted that Emilie had had a fall and went down there with my other daughter, Rebecca.”

“I was was told she was unconscious but we couldn’t get near. It was horribly frightening as we waited for more than an hour. The coast guard helicopter landed near the reservoir to get me on board and then Emelie was winched aboard.”

“She was semi conscious and couldn’t recognise me but is now on the mend.

“I can’t thank the mountain rescue service and all those involved enough, but for them it could have been so much worse.

“They are volunteers and they deserve all our thanks for the selfless work they do.”