A WOMAN died after falling from her horse while riding through woods.

Diane Young, 52, of Stensall Close, New Marske, had been riding for about 15 years and had personally broken in Jack, the horse she was on at the time.

An inquest heard how she would go out for rides almost everyday but by 9pm on April 13 last year she had failed to return to Park House Farm where she stabled her horses.

Her friend Kay Petch, who lives on the farm, became concerned and went to look for her but contacted the emergency services when the horse returned on its own.

A team of four men from Cleveland Search and Rescue Team began a torch light search and found her body along an equestrian track in Wilton Woods, near New Marske, at 2am the following morning.

Mrs Young was still holding on the reigns and could have been dragged along the ground before the bridle became detached from the horse.

Near the spot she was found there were lots of hoof marks going in different directions.

Home Office pathologist Dr Peter Cooper, who carried out the post mortem, established the cause of death was heavy internal bleeding caused by a laceration of the liver.

She also suffered minor bruises and scrapes and four fractured ribs, which Dr Cooper believes she would have received in the fall.

At the completion of her inquest on Teesside yesterday assistant deputy coroner Anthony Eastwood recorded a verdict of accidental death.