Maria's Story

Maria thought she had miraculously escaped injury having landed on her feet as she fell from her horse.

But the sickening crack of bone as she hit the ground told her something had gone horribly wrong - and she was miles from anywhere on a remote hillside.

"I tried to stand but the pain was terrible and I just crumpled to the ground," explained the 21-year-old NHS 24 call handler. "I'd previously broken an ankle and I remember thinking 'oh no, not again' as I lay there."

What Maria didn't know was that her injuries were far worse. She had broken both ankles and her lower leg and would require major surgery before she would walk again. The immediate problem, however, was how to get help to Maria and get her to hospital.

Luckily Maria had been riding with two friends and her father had come with them to the hillside cross country course for a training session. An air ambulance was seen as the fastest, safest and most effective way to reach Maria and Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance answered the call.

"I felt a huge sense of relief when the ambulance service told me SCAA was on it's way," recalled Maria. "Although it was August, it was a foggy day and I was lying in long wet grass. The pain was becoming unbearable and I was shaking with distress and shock.

"You can't describe the feeling when you see SCAA landing nearby and the paramedics rushing to your side. You immediately know everything will be alright - they'll take care of you and help take the pain away."

SCAA paramedics assessed, treated and prepared Maria for the short flight to hospital where she spent five days undergoing major surgery to repair her leg, ankles and snapped ligaments with the use of nine pins and a permanent plate.

Eight weeks off work followed along with intensive physiotherapy but Maria knows she was lucky to have SCAA on her side.

"I knew a road ambulance would never reach me on the hill," she said. "I'm so grateful that SCAA was called and able to reach me so quickly. "The team was just brilliant - so kind, so professional and so reassuring.

There are hundreds of people out in remote parts of the country - living, working or taking part in leisure pursuits - who should take comfort from the fact that we have a resource like SCAA to reach us when things go horribly wrong. I'll be forever grateful."