A WORLD class rider was killed in Hampshire when she was thrown from her horse which landed on top of her, an inquest heard.

Sherelle Duke, a close friend of royal rider Zara Phillips, was competing in a two-day eventing trial at Brockenhurst Park in the New Forest in August when the accident happened.

The trial is one of the biggest in the annual eventing calendar and attracts thousands of spectators every year.

An inquest in Southampton today heard the 28-year-old sustained fatal head injuries after her horse, Ballystockart, clipped a jump, flinging her forward. The horse then somersaulted, landing on Miss Duke.

Miss Duke, from Northern Ireland, was one of the UK's leading horse trial competitors and was crowned European champion back in 1999. She had ridden Ballystockart 28 times in the previous three years and was understood to have an "affinity" with him.

The inquest heard the cross country course in Brockenhurst was designed by Olympic eventing gold medallist Captain Mark Phillips and it met all safety requirements.

Exactly what caused Miss Duke's accident remains unknown and would be down to "speculation", the inquest heard.

Southampton coroner Keith Wiseman recorded a verdict of accidental death.