The Queen is amongst the hundreds of people who have sent messages of good will to jockey Isabel Tompsett who continues to recover from a horrific fall at Fakenham Racecourse.

The former female amateur champion remains at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge following the fall on May 22.

The 28-year-old Welsh rider has suffered serious head injuries, a broken nose and collarbone, two cracked vertebra and damage to her elbow and knee, but she is now able to speak and sit up in a chair.

Her mother Bridget said: 'Isabel can speak very slowly when spoken to now and is definitely becoming more aware of her surroundings.

'She is able to sit up in a chair for a couple of hours each day and is gaining strength in her neck so much so that she is able to hold her head up for short periods of time.

'The doctors are keen for her to remain in Addenbrooke's until she has improved further at which point we hope she will be transferred to Neath Port Talbot Hospital for rehabilitation.'

She added: 'She still gets extremely fatigued and sleeps for much of the day; we hope that her memory loss is not permanent and that her current loss of eyesight and lack of mobility in her left side improves.

'Amongst the hundreds of letters and cards of support that we have received there was one from Her Majesty The Queen which was totally unexpected.'