A BOY who was airlifted to hospital from Appletreewick by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance after being kicked in the head by a horse has said 'thank you' in the best possible way.

Young Sam Walker, of Barden, who had to be operated on by surgeons at Leeds General Infirmary, has helped to raise £1,500 for the air ambulance with a family coffee morning held at the home of his grandparents, Bill and Margy Stockdale, in Burnsall.

Sam, 12, suffered a fractured skull in the accident, which happened when he was holding the reins of his mother Sarah's horse as she was dealing with its leg problem. They were at the stables in Appletreewick, where the horse is kept.

Surgeons operated on Sam, a pupil at Upper Wharfedale School, soon after his admission to the Leeds hospital. He was kept in for nine days but has made a complete recovery.

Grandmother, Margy Stockdale, said: "Sam and all the family wanted to say a great big thank you to air ambulance staff – they were fantastic.

"We were hoping to make about £500, so to get £1,500 was superb. A lot was raised by the coffee morning, and there have been donations from friends, family and villagers. Everyone got right behind it – we would all like to say a massive 'thank you' to everyone who contributed."