A BUS company insists its driver did not contribute to the fall of a horse rider.

Tanya Price, 36, of Varteg, came off her horse shortly after the Stagecoach-run X24 service passed by her on the B4246 near Samsons Avenue, Garndiffaith.

The rider, who suffered a fractured skull and bruised ribs, has claimed she could reach out to touch the bus and was lucky not to haven fallen under its back wheels.

But a spokeswoman for Stagecoach says CCTV from the vehicle shows there was a distance of “five feet” between the bus and the horse.

She said: “The CCTV shows that the bus slowed down when approaching the horse and rider.

“The bus driver moved out, crossing on to the other side of the road.”

The company says the footage shows the driver kept a constant speed while passing the horse and that Ms Price was still on the horse as the rear of the bus passed her.

“We wish her a quick recovery,” added the spokeswoman.

Ms Price was released from hospital on Friday after treatment, but still suffers from aches and pains.

She was riding her seven-year-old mare Dawn, who was uninjured and galloped on after her rider’s fall.

“I’m going to wait until I’m fully healed before I get back on a horse,” said Ms Price, who was not wearing a helmet.

She believes she may have been unconscious after the impact and now fears the accident will have an impact on her love of sport.

Medics have advised her to take a rest from playing rugby for Pontyclun and the Newport Gwent Dragons women’s squad for the rest of the season.

And she fears she might have to give up the sport completely.

A Gwent Police spokesman said: “If anyone witnessed the incident or has any information about the circumstances we would encourage them to telephone 101, quoting log number 328 30/03/15.”

The rider’s fall was at around 3.45pm on March 30.