A WOMAN was rushed to Southampton hospital by a Coastguard helicopter this lunchtime.

The aircraft landed at the Millbrook playing field next to the Millbrook Rugby Club at about 1.30pm.

It landed close to the changing rooms before an ambulance transferred the victim by road to the general hospital.

A spokesman for the Coastguard said the woman had fallen off a horse at West Wittering beach near Chichester. “Our helicopter was available and we went to pick her up and dropped her at the available landing site,” he said.

Her condition was unavailable. Southampton General Hospital has a specialist head injury unit.

The helicopter took off again at around 2.10pm.