Hospital for horse three

Three people needed hospital treatment after separate riding accidents in Shropshire.A man suffered a serious neck injury when he was thrown from his horse near Market Drayton, while a woman was knocked unconscious and a man suffered a cut to his eye when their cart overturned in Church Stretton.

Mike Slater, 49, of Aston, was airlifted to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent after coming off his horse yesterday at 11.35am, in a field in Norton in Hales.

Mr Slater, who runs Aston Manor Liveries with his wife Debbie, was immobilised and taken to hospital for scans and an x-ray to assess the damage. He remains in hospital today.

Today, his father-in-law, Frank Machin, said: "He is not mobile, so it's not looking good, but it isn't life threatening."

In Church Stretton, a couple in their 60s from the town were thrown into the road after the horse drawing their cart bolted when it was spooked by a passing motorcycle.

The woman was knocked unconscious, and the man suffered a cut to his eye and leg and shoulder injuries.

The accident was outside Church Stretton High School, Shrewsbury Road, on Saturday, at about 4.15pm. The pair were taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for further treatment, while a vet was called to examine the horse.