Deputy Mayor of Burnley airlifted to hospital after falling from horse

An experienced horse rider, Coun. Cosima Towneley was flown to hospital yesterday afternoon (Thursday) with suspected upper leg injuries after the incident on Red Lees Road.

Emergency services, including the police and North West Air Ambulance, were called to the scene at around 1pm and the road was closed to traffic.

No further details surrounding the incident have been released, but it is believed the Conservative Cliviger and Worsthorne ward councillor, who is well respected in the equine community, remains in hospital today recovering from her injuries.

Reacting to the news, Burnley Mayor Coun. Wajid Khan said he wanted to send his personal best wishes to Coun. Towneley and hoped for a speedy recovery.

He added: "I was very concerned to hear about Coun. Towneley's accident. I only saw her over the weekend at the Remembrance Sunday service along with her father.

"Coun. Towneley is a long-standing, hard-working individual, a dedicated councillor and a fantastic representative for the town. As my deputy, I work very closely with her and I wish her a speedy return to good health."

A spokesman for the North West Air Ambulance said: "The air ambulance was called just before 1pm yesterday after a woman, believed to be in her fifties, fell off a horse in Burnley. She was air-lifted to hospital with suspected upper leg injuries."

A police spokesman said: "Police attended an incident at Red Lees Road yesterday to control the traffic."