A WOMAN who "died" after suffering a brain aneurysm has said she has been given a second chance at life.

Caroline Shepherd was out riding with the Saltersgate Farmers Hunt when she suddenly became unconscious and fell from her horse.

Her fellow riders came to her aid and found that she was not breathing and had turned blue.

They began to carry out CPR while an ambulance was called. Due to the remote location, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) was also sent to the scene.

Caroline, 37, who lives in Wombleton, said: "Basically I had died and it was only due to my friends that I am still here now as they resuscitated me.

"I was just beginning to regain consciousness as the ambulance crew arrived and they, along with the on board doctor, put me to sleep to fly me to James Cook Hospital."

Once at the hospital in Middlesbrough, Caroline underwent several scans which revealed she had had a subarachnoid haemorrhage (bleed on the brain). Doctors operated on her and she was on life support for the next week.

She said: "I was unconscious for seven days and eventually grew strong enough to be taken out of ICU and moved to the HDU unit.

"It was here the realisation of what had happened to me began coming to light as I'd lost feeling down my right hand side. I had to begin the gruelling task of re-learning coordination, walking, and feeding myself."

Caroline said that through sheer determination, she was back at home within four weeks of the incident last January.

"I have no feeling in my right thigh and am still very tired and need to take long rests when I have done anything, but I have managed to get back riding which has helped me enormously," she said.

"The YAA played a massive role in helping me to make such an amazing recovery and it was due to this that I wanted to give something back."

Caroline organised an evening of entertainment at Pickering Recreation Club with Adam Collier and his Yorkshire dialect.

"The night was a huge success with all 200 tickets been sold, amazing raffle prizes, auction prizes and much more," she said.

"The generosity from the local community has been overwhelming for me and my family and I can’t say thank you enough to everyone involved. It was due to the local community pulling together, the kindness of others that a staggering total of £6,919.50 was raised."

Caroline said the last few months had a huge effect on her.

"Life is too short and I now want to do something I do it and enjoy more time with family and friends. I am very lucky to have been given a second chance of life," she said.