Top event rider Bubby Upton has spoken of her first-hand experience of the exceptional work undertaken by the East Anglian Air Ambulance to support its major fundraising appeal for a new base.
Bubby was training at home when she had a “freak riding accident” in August 2023. The horse she was riding reared up and landed on her, leaving Bubby with multiple injuries and no sensation in her right leg.
“I’ve had a fair few falls in my past. I’ve actually broken my back before, but this was a totally different kettle of fish,” said Bubby, in a video shared by East Anglian Air Ambulance. “I was fully conscious throughout the whole thing, I remember using every bit of strength that I had to say, ‘Call the ambulance’.”
The air ambulance’s Anglia Two (Cambridge) helicopter and crew were with Bubby within minutes. The flight time from Cambridge to the scene of her accident was just 16 minutes, and the team were by her side two minutes later, where they worked alongside the land ambulance service to provide critical care.
“The expertise of the medical team that attended me was everything,” Bubby says. “I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I wouldn’t be doing what I am today if it wasn’t for East Anglian Air Ambulance. Supporting them and their appeal for a new base is a no-brainer for me.”
Bubby was given pain relief and fitted to a binder to keep her pelvis still, and in c-spine blocks to keep her neck stable to minimise the risk of further injuries on the journey to hospital.
The air ambulance crew accompanied Bubby by road ambulance to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, where she learned that she had a complete burst fracture of her L3 vertebrae as well as fractures to L2 and L4. Bubby underwent seven hours of surgery, regained sensation in her leg and recovered to return to top-level competition the following spring.
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The East Anglian Air Ambulance’s Cambridge helicopter is currently based at Cambridge City Airport, which is set to close by 2028. That is why the charity is aiming to raise £8.2m to build a new base near to the Suffolk/Cambridgeshire border. It is currently £3.1m away from its target.
Stuart Wyle, director of fundraising and supporters at East Anglian Air Ambulance, said that the charity is “incredibly grateful to our patients and their families – like Bubby – who choose to share their experiences with us”.
“We know that revisiting what can often have been an incredibly difficult and frightening time isn’t always easy, but their stories have such a powerful impact,” said Mr Wyle.
“They help give our appeals real meaning, helping people understand the difference East Anglian Air Ambulance can make when someone is seriously ill or injured, and why continued support for our lifesaving service is so important.
“We are grateful to Bubby, her family and all those who have so far backed the Cambridge air base appeal. We have made huge progress in a very short space of time with our fundraising campaign and are thankful for every donation received.”
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
