A woman, who was looking forward to an hour of fun on a Segway experience session in Mote Park in Maidstone, ended up in hospital with a broken shoulder.

Lizette Ayers, of Hampshire Drive, Maidstone, was invited along by a friend.

“We arrived a little late,” she said. “The firm sent us off with just a short safety talk. When we came to the woodland section, some of the cones marking the course had been moved. I hit a tree stump and fell off really badly.”

Miss Ayers, who said: “You accept a certain degree of risk when you do this sort of thing,” was nevertheless dismayed by the firm’s response.

She said: “Their first-aider came to me and straight away said he didn’t know what to do. He tried to put a children’s-size triangular bandage on me. He honestly didn’t have a clue.”

Rather than can call an ambulance, the organisers left Miss Ayers‘ friends to take her to hospital in their car.

She said: ”It turns out I broke my humerus bone and have severe bruising along my whole arm.

“I was in severe pain for several days and its going to be at least 10 weeks before I can lift my arm.”

The accident is a double catastrophe for her as she is a self-employed hairdresser with her business, Dizzie Lizzy.

She said: “I have no hope of working if I can’t raise my arm.”

Miss Ayers, 53, said the only contact from the organisers, Segway Events, she has had since the accident was one phone call a week after. She said: “A guy called Ian asked how I was getting on, and when I told him, he said: ‘Oh well, at least you have some nice weather while you recover.’”

Andrew Ridell, technical director with Segway Events, said: “Customer safety and enjoyment is our number one priority and all riders are fitted with protective equipment and go through a full training session at the start of their event.

“Unfortunately, it is unavoidable that novice riders occasionally fall off and may sustain injury; everyone is made aware of this before they take part.

"When this does happen, qualified first aid staff are on hand to provide immediate care.

"This incident has been fully investigated internally and we are satisfied that we have not failed Lizette, but wish her a speedy recovery.”