A HORSEWOMAN is setting up a petition calling for a ban on low-flying helicopters after her horse bolted after being scared by Chinooks.

Goldi, Linda Butler-Blades' 17-month-old home-bred filly, was panicked to such a degree by four tree-skimming helicopters that she went straight through a barbed wire fence taking it with her.

Mrs Butler-Blades, whose husband Mike Blades is an ex-flat race jockey, live at Tower Hill in Grewelthorpe, near Ripon.

She said: "Last year a woman was killed locally, at Ellingstring, and only last week another person was killed after their horse bolted. How many people have to be killed in riding accidents involving Ministry of Defence helicopters on low-flying exercises over heavily equestrian populated areas before something is done about it?

"No-one was hurt but my filly on this occasion, but that might not be the case next time they hover over my horses. My filly may be physically and mentally scarred for life.

She has written to David Curry, her MP. and is setting up a petition not just locally, but on the internet too, in a bid to establish a national campaign.

"We are all fed up of low flying helicopters, not just equestrians. The MoD has access to acres of moorland, why can't they practise low flying over such areas, or the sea?

"It's enough that we have noisy low-flying jets, but at least they are fast. The helicopters are so noisy and so low and slow they make our house vibrate."

"The MoD said that the Chinooks were flying 50ft above ground, which is permitted, but I don't consider that this is high enough.'

A spokesman for the MoD said that in general, the MoD did try to limit low-flying to that strictly necessary for crews to maintain operational skills.

"Crews have to have all kinds of capabilities," he said. "In principal, we have the whole of the UK open to low-flying, and helicopters can operate at ground level, but this is very rare. We generally operate at around 100-250ft, and try to avoid causing disturbances."