Wairarapa quad fall injures visitor

RESCUED: A 22-year-old visitor from Scotland was flown to Wellington Hospital with serious injuries after the quad bike she was riding tumbled down a bank south of Martinborough yesterday.

Passers-by rescued an injured Scottish woman after she toppled five metres down a bank while riding a quad bike near Martinborough yesterday.

Life Flight crewman Dave Greenberg said the Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended the scene on Haurangi Rd in Ruakokopatuna late yesterday morning.

"The accident was witnessed by people in a car following the quad bike. The witnesses called 111 and managed to carry her back up to the roadside," Mr Greenberg said.

Patuna Farm owner Alan Wilkinson said the woman, Rebecca MacPherson, had arrived in New Zealand at the weekend to complete a Ph.D in environmental science at Auckland University, in association with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa).

Ms MacPherson, 22, was riding on the road when she apparently lost control of the machine and tumbled down the bank.

She had been staying at the farm as a guest and had asked to ride the farm machine, Mr Wilkinson said.

He was not with her when the accident happened and didn't know whether she had worn a helmet.

"I have since spoken to her in hospital and we were very relieved to hear she had no other serious injuries, apart from a nasty gash above her knee. Thankfully, her back and neck are fine and there's really nothing that time won't heal."

Mr Greenberg said a Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic was aboard the rescue helicopter, which arrived at the scene at the same time as a road ambulance.

Ms MacPherson had received serious leg injuries, cuts, and bruises and was flown to Wellington Hospital Emergency Department in a serious condition, he said.

Mr Wilkinson expressed his gratitude to the Wellington Free Ambulance and the Life Flight Trust Westpac Rescue helicopter for their work in treating and rescuing Ms MacPherson.