GRANDMOTHER Margaret Avis was airlifted to hospital after falling while walking on the downs at Alton Barnes.

Mrs Avis, from Lockeridge, who has been in poor health for the past seven years, was with her grand-daughters, Sophie and Abbi, who are in their early 20s, and a neighbour at the time.

The party were returning to their car at Walker's Hill on Thursday when Mrs Avis, 68, slipped on damp grass, breaking a leg, cracking a bone in the other and hurting her shoulder.

With no working mobile phone between them, Sophie drove home to tell Mrs Avis' husband Peter and raise the alarm.

The air ambulance was scrambled and landed about 60 metres from Mrs Avis, who was placed on a stretcher and flown to Swindon's Great Western Hospital.

Surgeons have operated to pin her broken leg and Mr Avis said once again his wife would be spending her birthday on Tuesday in a hospital bed, where she is expected to remain for two weeks.

But he said: "Despite all her illnesses she always remains cheerful and puts everyone else first."