A couple have told how they are lucky to be alive after a horse pulling their carriage ran amok and started a stampede during a holiday pleasure trip.

Now back home at Endmoor, Brian and Christine Gibson spoke about the moment that the horse kicked up its legs, put back its ears and charged forward, flinging them both from the carriage.

They said they narrowly avoided being thrown over the edge of the mountain and found themselves lying in rocks and mud, with carriages, horses and people all around.

Mrs Gibson, 52, suffered a dislocated shoulder and her arm was fractured in several places. A team of six Norwegian surgeons operated to put a plate in the arm, and she is now waiting to find out how much mobility she will regain.

Mr Gibson, also 52, was in intensive care to try to warm him up because his body temperature plummeted. Both are stiff and covered in bruises.

The couple, who were home just in time to celebrate their 32nd wedding anniversary yesterday (Thursday), were enjoying their first visit to Norway with Bibby's of Ingleton. They had tried to holiday in the Scandinavian country before but had been in a car accident and had been unable to travel.

This time they were enjoying the Fjordland Explorer tour, which included several trips, including the excursion to view the waterfalls and Briksdal Glacier by pony and trap.

Each three-person carriage was led by a "driver" who held the reins.

Mrs Gibson, who is a dinner lady at St Patrick's School in Endmoor, said: "He (the driver) was busy telling us the horse's name was Harry and he was a fiery little horse, and right out of the blue he kicked up his back legs and his ears went back and he just took off."

The horses were travelling nose to tail, and Mrs Gibson said there was nowhere for Harry to go.

"All I could see was we were heading for the edge and straight down the mountain and nowhere to go, but luckily we were thrown off before.

"I can remember somer-saulting and I can remember going backwards. All I could see was horse carts upside down and people lying everywhere."

Paramedics were soon on the scene, and the grandparents were taken by ambulance to a helicopter and flown to Alesund Hospital where they stayed for more than a week.

Mr Gibson, who has his own agricultural repairs business, said: "I think we were lucky nobody was killed."

Mrs Gibson added: "I just feel I'm lucky to be alive and I'm lucky to be how I am now."

The Gibsons were full of praise for Bibby's, especially Peter Bibby, and for the Norwegian medical teams.

Also back home this week were Chris and Joan Mitton, of Ingleton. Mrs Mitton said her husband was due to have an operation on his arm yesterday, and they were recovering slowly.