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Horse and owners escape unhurt after crash on A47 in Swaffham

Amy Mathieson, H&H news writer

2 July, 2009

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A horse owner has spoken of her relief that she, her mother and her horse are alive after the vehicle and trailer they were travelling in crashed at the weekend.

Twenty-year-old Unviersity of East Anglia student Addie Garrett was travelling up to Sheepgate in Lincolnshire to take part in the Tack and Toggs Championships to compete with her horse Dee Dee in the prelim and novice championships.

The accident happened at Swaffham in Norfolk on the King's Lynn bound carriageway of A47 at 7.20am on Saturday (27 June).

"Mum was driving our Land Rover Discovery when it started to snake," said Addie. "It kept getting faster before rolling several times and landing on the central reservation. From what I can make out the trailer was propelled forwards on its side after snapping free from the vehicle."

"Dee Dee was standing facing the rear ramp, but as she's 16.1hh and the trailer was on its side she couldn't stand up.

"I found her lying under a mass of metal, hay and fibreglass — I honestly thought she was dead. She scrambled to her feet but realised she was stuck and started to panic. I managed to calm her down and we waited for the fire brigade to arrive and release her."

Norfolk Fire and Rescue attended the incident and worked for 40 minutes to free the horse.

Dee Dee was unhurt but Addie is giving her some time to recover before she starts competing again.

"I want to see what's she's like and how she will travel now," she said.

"I've owned Dee Dee for three years — she's an absolutely fantastic horse. She handled the situation so well, she's incredibly genuine. All three of us are so lucky to be alive, it was very emotional."

Sheepgate might be an unlucky venue for Addie. Just two weeks earlier while travelling home from a competition at the venue, a head gasket blew in Addie's car leaving the pair stranded on the A47.

Dee Dee had to be unloaded and wait at the side of the road before being picked up by a passerby coming from the same event and loaded into a box with three unfamiliar horses.

"She managed to hold herself together and calmly walk up the ramp. She is the bravest, most genuine and most resilient horse I know" said Addie.

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