Helen O'Reilly, only 5ft 2 inches tall, was left with a trapped nerve in her left leg, soft tissue damage and whiplash
A PETITE mum who "sees the good in everyone" has recalled the frightening moment a woman "twice her size" suddenly rugby tackled her to the ground at a music festival.
Helen O'Reilly was left unconscious in pile of mud for five minutes after she was assaulted at Cumbria's Kendal Calling last Saturday evening.
The 36-year-old mum of one said she and her friend Caroline were having a "great time" at the "family-spirited festival" before she ended up face down in mud.
Horrific footage shows her trying to take a photo in the middle of the festival ground when a woman appears from nowhere and tackles her to the ground.
Condemning her attacker, Ms O'Reilly - an architect from Emley, West Yorkshire - told the Huddersfield Examiner: "What that woman did totally changed the atmosphere.
"Other people were quite shocked too."
Police launched an appeal to find the aggressor after footage capturing the horrific event was seen by tens of thousands of people.
The film shows Helen taking pictures of excited revellers enjoying themselves, before the woman runs into her, sending her flying.
The mum who teaches at the University of Huddersfield and Leeds Beckett University said she hopes she has not been left with permanent damage.
Describing the incident, Ms O'Reilly said: "Caroline and I were watching some men larking about in the mud when out of nowhere I was tackled to the ground. I never saw it coming as I had my back to her.
"All of a sudden I was on the floor, I think I was unconscious for about five minutes.
"When I came round I was covered in mud, it was in my hair and face, up my nose and all over my clothes.
"Fortunately the paramedics were on the scene very quickly and treated me."
Ms O'Reilly was treated on site and was told she had sustained a trapped nerve in her left leg, soft tissue damage, whiplash and some bruising to her arms.
She added: "Afterwards I went back to my tent feeling pretty demoralised.
"I would love to ask her why she did it. If my six-year-old daughter Abigail had seen her mum being assaulted then it would have been quite hard for her."
A spokesman for Kendal Calling festival said: “Kendal Calling is a family, from the event organisers and our entire production team to the fans who join us in the fields every year.
“Their safety is our first priority and we always ask everyone to look out for each other and behave responsibly while they’re enjoying the event, especially when the conditions are muddy.
“Our security personnel and the St John’s Ambulance team were with Helen very quickly and took her to the on-site medical facility.
“After being examined and given time to recover, she was discharged. We’ll support Helen and the police with any further inquiries and we hope to see her back at Kendal Calling next year.”
A spokesman for Cumbria Police said: "We are investigating an assault that occurred at Kendal Calling at approximately 7.20pm on Saturday 30 July.
"A 36-year-old woman from Emley suffered minor injuries following being tackled to the ground by an unknown adult female.
"Anyone with information is asked to contact Cumbria Police on 101 - quoting log number 90 of August 1."
