A British horse trial has been hit by the fifth fatality in as many months, marking the sixth death in eventing worldwide this year. A 20-year-old male rider, whose name has not yet been released by police investigating the accident, died of crush injuries at the Somerleyton Horse Trials in Sussex yesterday.

Running in the advanced intermediate class shortly after 4.30 yesterday afternoon, the horse failed to make the back rail of a parallel and slipped over on top of his rider. Resuscitation was attempted on site and the rider was then taken by ambulance to the James Pagett Hospital in Lowestoft. He was declared dead at the hospital.

The British Horse Trials Association (BHTA) has called an emergency meeting for today, in the wake of a worldwide investigation launched by the International Equestrian Federation two days after the death of Simon Long at Burghley a fortnight ago.

The recent spate of fatalities began in America last April when Keith Taylor was killed. The following month, Peta Beckett was killed at the Savernake Horse Trials.

Six weeks later, Australian Olympic hopeful Robert Slade was fatally injured in a fall at Wilton, also in Wiltshire. The BHTA working party, which looks into safety at all BHTA fixtures, held an investigation into both the fatal accidents that had occurred in England, but then Polly Phillipps, a member of Britain's team at the World games, was killed at the Scottish championships in Thirlestane Castle at the end of August. Just 13 days later, Simon Long was killed at Burghley, the day after Polly Phillipps had been buried at her Leicestershire home.

Irish Olympic rider David Foster was killed in a fall less than three miles from his Co Meath home in April of last year, just five months after Sam Moore suffered fatal injuries at Blenheim in England.