HORSE riders are calling for lorries to be banned from a country road after they were hurt by a speeding lorry.

Michelle De Feo said she was one of two riders left hurt and badly shaken after the horses they were riding in Queen's Head Road, Boxted, became spooked by the head-on vehicle.

The pair were among a group of four who had the confrontation with the driver on Tuesday morning.

Miss De Feo, 23, said: "We were going in the direction of Boxted Straight Road and where that bends there is a massive ditch.

"We heard this lorry coming, he was speeding so we gave the driver a signal to slow down.

"It scared the hell out of the horses and he still wouldn't stop.

"All the horses were spooked. My horse's leg was in the ditch but I stayed on but if he had fallen back I think I could have been dead.

"The other girl was in the middle of the road. She kept shouting 'stop', he nearly rammed her over. He clipped her on the leg.

"He said he did not see us."

The driver drove on without stopping and the incident was reported to police.

Miss De Feo said there were a number of other motorists who witnessed the incident around 11.30am.

She was left with a sore neck from being jolted about on the horse and the other girl, 17, was left with a bruised leg.

Miss De Feo said the driver's firm had been contacted and she understood he may have been temporarily disciplined.

She added: "The road is not safe for lorries.

"It is 40mph, they changed it last year. But that's not enough. There are no white lines to show where the ditch is.

"There shouldn't be lorries going down there, it is not wide enough."

Jackie Meadows, another of the riders involved in the incident, added: "We need safety warning signs in the village saying there could be horse riders."

An Essex Police spokesman said: "Police were contacted shortly after 12.30pm on October 6 with reports of a road related incident in Queen’s Head Road in Boxted. It was reported that at around 10.50am, a white and blue lorry was seen driving dangerously near horseriders, causing the horses to spook. No one was injured. Anyone with information is asked to contact Essex Police on 101."