A NEW Forest horse lover is searching for a hero she believes may have saved her life.

The cycling Samaritan gave emergency first aid to Kim Compton after she was thrown from a horse and cart.

Nine-year-old Welsh Cob Alfie had become startled by a nearby commotion and started galloping, causing the cart to eject its passengers.

Paramedics rushed to the scene in Bartley where they took over the job of patching up Kim and riding companion Frank "Buzz" Terry.

The mysterious stranger then got back on his bike and cycled away.

Kim had a fractured cheekbone and jaw, a broken hand and cuts and bruises and lost a six-inch patch of skin from her leg where she hit a telegraph pole. Buzz, 75, suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Now the pair are desperate to track down the man who stopped to give first aid so they can thank him.

Kim, 40, of Partridge Road, Dibden Purlieu, said: "When I got out of hospital I decided to try and track him down. We just really want to thank him for what he's done. We would just like to meet him and maybe give him a gift. What he did could have saved our lives - that's how important I feel this is.

"Other people that were at the scene said he was absolutely brilliant. He did all the right things. I can't remember anything about it. I was so badly injured. I only know what I've learned since.

"Even the paramedics said he had done a brilliant job and he just got on his bike and off he went."

Do you know who the Samaritan is? Contact Tom Husband in our Lymington office on 01590 613 802.