Air Ambulance Called to Horse Riding Incident on Formby Beach

Formby Bubble
Aug 22
2 min read

Emergency services rushed to Formby Beach on Friday 22nd August after a woman was seriously injured in a horse-riding accident.

The alarm was raised at around 3:15pm when the rider fell from her horse while riding along the sands near Lifeboat Road. Crews from Southport Coastguard, Crosby Coastguard, RNLI Lifeguards, the National Trust, and the North West Ambulance Service were quickly on the scene.

The woman, who suffered a suspected back injury, was assessed and given pain management by paramedics. However, because of the severity of her injury and the difficulty of moving her safely across the beach, the decision was taken to request an air ambulance.

The North West Air Ambulance, a Eurocopter EC135 (now known as the Airbus H135), landed in the Lifeboat Road car park. Specialist crews made their way onto the beach, where the casualty was carefully placed on a stretcher and transferred to the helicopter.

She was flown directly to Aintree University Hospital in Fazakerley, a major trauma centre for the region, arriving at 5:05pm to receive urgent specialist treatment. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The Southport Offshore Rescue Trust confirmed their involvement in the rescue, stating: “Southport quads were paged to assist with an injured horse rider on Formby Beach. The quads arrived on scene and met with RNLI Lifeguards and Southport Coastguard Rescue Team.”

“The quads, alongside North West Ambulance Service, stabilised the casualty and provided pain management. Due to the nature of injury and the casualty’s location, it was decided the best method of extraction would be via the air. The North West Air Ambulance was dispatched and transported the casualty to hospital for further treatment.”

The incident drew attention from beachgoers and local residents, who praised the swift response of all the emergency services involved.

Watch the video of the Air Ambulance taking off at Lifeboat Road in Formby

The North West Air Ambulance plays a vital role in responding to emergencies across the region, linking patients to specialist care when every minute counts. The service is funded almost entirely by charitable donations, and Friday’s incident highlights just how crucial their work is in our community.