A woman who lost three fingers in a freak horse accident has been gifted a new hand for free by a kind couple – and will receive it in time for Christmas.
Keen horse rider, Chloe Jackson-Webb, 26, was loading her horses into a lorry when one spooked and started walking backwards, trapping her right hand in the hinges of the door.
She lost three fingers as they flew into the air while she tried to keep her grip on her horse with her other hand.
Chloe’s mum, Fran, 59, was seconds away and was able to call for the two paramedics that happened to be onsite at Blewbury yard, Didcot, that day in August 2022.
They were able to find two of Chloe's fingers and put them on ice before her pinky finger was found later in the yard.
Chloe was taken to John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and doctors reattached two of her fingers in a 15 hour operation but had to remove them 10 days later when they failed to re-circulate with her hand.
She has had to adjust to only having a thumb and forefinger on her right hand but has been able to get back to horse riding and driving.
A local couple - Sarah, 50, and Mike Li Rouse, 43 - heard of her plight. They run a silicone prosthesis and orthotics business and reached out to Chloe to give her a new hand for free.
Chloe has already had a newfound confidence with her temporary prosthetic and is looking forward to receiving her completed hand in December 2022 – just in time for Christmas.
Chloe, a cleaner, from Didcot, Oxfordshire, said: “I can’t remember much from the accident but I can remember saying to my mum: 'I’ve lost my fingers.'
“The paramedics were running around trying to find where my fingers had gone.
“They found two but it took too long to find my pinky that they knew they wouldn’t be able to attach it.
“After the surgery I was hoping I could keep my fingers.
“I was frightened when I had to come in and have them removed for good.
“I know it could have been much worse and I could have lost my whole hand."
She added: “Now I have a positive mindset and I know if I put my mind to anything I can do it.
“It was a shock seeing my hand for the first time without three fingers when it came out of bandage.
“Now having the temporary prosthetic has given me some confidence back.
“It’s like that bit of confidence you get from putting on a bit of make-up.
“I should get the final prosthetic with the correct colouring and veins just before Christmas.”
Chloe was loading her horses into a trailer when one spooked and her right hand got caught - ripping off three of her fingers.
Luckily, paramedics and ambulances were stationed at her yard, and were able to attend to her.
They were able to find two of her fingers quickly enough to save them, but found her pinky finger too late - meaning it would be impossible to reattach.
Chloe was whisked away to John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and whisked into a 15-hour procedure to attach her two fingers.
"I had further four-hour operation the following day to take some of the veins from my arm to see if it would help with the circulation to my fingers," she said.
"They put leeches on too, to help blood flow with the reattachement.
"Unfortunately at 10 days they realised it wasn't working and had to remove them.
"I'd hoped to keep my fingers. I've been left with my pinchers - my thumb and index finger.
"I was unsure about what I would be able to do or who would want me, but my mum reminded me that they are short-sighted if they just look at my hand."
Two weeks later Chloe had her bandages off and saw her hand without fingers for the first time since the accident.
"I was upset," she added.
"It was a shock. It's been an adjustment but now I am back riding and driving again.
"I struggle to write and doing things with just my left hand can be hard.
"I'm adjusting, I have a strong mindset."
Sarah and Mike heard about Chloe's accident through a friend who is a client at Chloe's dad Andy's hair salon.
They decided to reach out to see if there was anything they could do, and arranged for Chloe to visit their clinic to look at silicone prosthesis.
The couple made a prototype for Chloe to try, which she has been wearing - before going back to have her final prosthesis in time for Christmas.
"Having both grown up in Didcot we wanted to give something back to the community and make people aware of the solutions available and the difference a silicone prosthetic can make to someone's confidence and mental well-being, as well as improving the aesthetic appearance," Sarah said.
Chloe said: "I can put on the prosthetic whenever I feel unsure.
"Gives you that bit of confidence.
"When I get the final prosthetic it will look just like a hand.
"It will match my skin colour and I should get in time for Christmas."
