An elderly wreath layer is recovering from serious injuries after she fell and cut her head during the large Remembrance Sunday parade.

Hundreds of members of the public were watching the commemorations when 88-year-old Betty Davidson tripped and collapsed while walking away from the memorial in Church Street on Sunday morning.

The High Wycombe resident broke her wrist and suffered a “nasty gash” about two inches wide on her head, but is now back at home and recovering from her injuries.

High Wycombe Royal British Legion members have since said they will put measures in place to ensure the accident does not happen again in the future.

Mrs Davidson said: “All I can remember was that one minute I was standing and the next I was on the floor.

“I’m so very grateful that people were concerned about me, but I’m fine. It’s a slow process but at least I’m still here. It could have been worse.

“I really want to thank the general public for all their help, and everyone at my surgery and at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, everyone has been superb.

“I’m astounded there has been so much concern, I’m just an ordinary citizen.

“My daughter and son-in-law were with me on the day and helped after I fell. It was my own stupidity, I was offered assistance on the way up and I refused, plus I didn’t take my walking stick.”

She added: “It was all my fault, I fell over my feet after laying the wreath down.”

Betty was invited by the RBL as a representative of the former Ex-Prisoner of War Association for Wycombe and Slough group, which was closed last year.

She was helped by nearby dignitaries and cadets as well as representatives of the Red Cross before being taken by ambulance to Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Concerned onlookers have since reported that other people in the crowd fainted following the incident.

High Wycombe RBL chairman Kevin Taylor said: “I didn’t see Betty fall, but I heard the gasps of about a thousand people all in one go. A lot of people saw it happen and from what I’ve heard it affected a lot of people.

“Unfortunately, she just lost her footing. Everything was done to order, correctly as it should have been.

“But, we’ve already put in place measures to make sure nothing like that ever happens again. From next year people will be escorted when laying a wreath at the memorial.

“Many hundreds of people would have seen it happen, there was quite a lot of blood and it was a bit worrying. But people were there helping her straight away and she was well looked after.”

Following the accident, Betty has received support from residents and even had a visit from RAF High Wycombe station commander Philip Lester, who also sent her a bouquet of flowers.