A YOUNG woman has died after falling from a horse. Charlotte Cole, aged 23, was fatally injured while training horses at a Worcestershire racing yard.

She suffered severe head injuries after the horse she was riding tripped and unseated her.

She was airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth hospital, Birmingham, where she fought for two days but died without regaining consciousness on Friday.

Her mum Diane Cole, 53, said: “She was a lovely, lovely person, full of life. She just lit our lives up for us and was a fantastic sister to Stephanie as well.

“We’re sad but she died doing what she loved. I can’t ask for more than that – that’s living your life to the full. I like to think she would have had a smile on her face as she went up to the gallops.”

Her dad Roger Cole, 55 said: “You can imagine the exhilaration you get from the power and the wind in your hair.

“It must be like nothing on earth. We haven’t got any regrets. We do not blame the horse.”

The couple agreed to fulfil their daughter’s wishes for her organs to be donated and said they believed it meant she did not die in vain. They said Miss Cole, of Elgar Crescent, Droitwich, had loved riding since they sat her on a donkey aged just two.

The former Droitwich High School pupil began riding lessons aged five or six and had her first horse Spike when she was nine.

The family, originally from Somerset, moved to Droitwich in 1994 where she competed extensively at show jumping and cross country events and later belonged to the Croome and West Warwickshire Hunt along with her horse, JD.

After leaving Worcester Sixth Form College, Miss Cole joined Claire Dyson Racing, in Cleeve Prior, becoming the yard’s head girl. She left last year to pursue her ambition to become an amateur jockey and racehorse trainer as CK Racing – Charlotte Kate Racing – with her partner Matt Linsey who she was on the verge of setting up home with.

Mr and Mrs Cole said they were immensely proud of their daughter and her strength of mind.

Mr Cole said: “We were hoping against hope we would be bringing her home because you never think we will lose her.

“We were told there wasn’t anything they could do for her but she just fought an incredible battle so we could have those two days.

“We were able to be by her bedside, tell her we love her and hold her, touch her hair and hold her hand. That was a really great help to us.”

The family have urged others to carry donor cards. An inquest into Miss Cole’s death was opened on Wednesday.