Model Pippa O'Connor's family has slammed a leading bookmaker for a publicity stunt which mocked her accident last week in which a horse rolled over her during a photo shoot.

And family members revealed that the incident that saw Pippa spend a night in hospital also brought back painful reminders to her showjumping brother Cian of the time his girlfriend Hazel O'Callaghan died six years ago after sustaining fatal injuries unloading a horse from a trailer.

The stunt came less than a week after Pippa was involved in a terrifying accident in which she fell from an army horse at the RDS. The horse then rolled over her and left her suffering concussion and bruising.

saidThe bookmaker's stunt involved a man dressing up as a woman and posing for pictures lying in mock agony on the ground beside a horse to mark the beginning of the Galway Race Festival this week.

“This is in terrible bad taste,” said Pippa's mother Louise. “Pippa will be very upset, and Cian and Brian will be furious,” she added, referring to Pippa's brother and her boyfriend Brian Ormonde.

“Pippa could have been very seriously hurt or even killed in that accident, she is in bits over it,” Louise explained.

“So this stunt is a bit of a cheap shot,” she added.

Louise said that the accident in which Pippa was hurt |also brought back painful memories to Cian of the death of his then girlfriend Hazel O'Callaghan.

“She never regained consciousness after she fell while unloading a horse six years ago. God, it was terrible. So I think this is not just an insult to Pippa but |to Cian and the O'Callaghan family,” Louise explained.

Pippa is due to return to work this week after spending time |at home and with friends following her release from hospital last week.

The accident happened during a photo shoot at the RDS. Pippa had only planned to stand beside the horse but a photographer asked if she would mount the animal and walk towards them for some pictures.