Woman airlifted after fall from horse

A young woman had to be rescued by the Waterford coastguard helicopter after a bad fall from a horse near the water’s edge on Tramore beach.

The woman was part of a group of riders on the beach when she fell to the sand.

Somebody who saw the accident called the emergency services and looked for an ambulance.

But when it arrived the sand was too wet, and she was too close to the water, to allow it to approach her.

At 11.45am the ambulance service called for back-up from the Waterford-based coast guard helicopter, who landed on the beach to bring the woman to the regional hospital.

Michael Cuddidy, chairman of the Tramore Surf Lifesaving Club, said reports from the beach were that the rescue had gone smoothly.

“Between the coastguard helicopter, the lifeguards and the ambulance they were able to get her safely to the regional hospital,” he said.