52-year-old man was believed to be out hunting near Stockton

The 52-year-old man was riding on farmland near the A177 between Stockton and Thorpe Thewles when he fell and hit his face on a gate. He was understood to have been out hunting at the time.

He could not be reached by an ambulance so the Great North Air Ambulance was called to the scene and he was airlifted to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. His condition on arrival was described as stable.

While the air ambulance was on its way a local farmer took the land ambulance crew to the injured rider in his 4x4 vehicle. Both land and air ambulance crews treated the casualty alongside other riders at the scene.