Tour de France 2014: spectator taken to hospital with head injures after falling through roof of building in Skipton

 
Race: Mark Cavendish (front) leads the Grand Depart at the ceremonial start of the Tour De France 2014 (Picture: PA)
Rachel Blundy5 July 2014

A woman has been taken to hospital after she fell through the roof of a building while watching the start of the Tour de France in Yorkshire.

The victim, who police said is aged in her 40s, suffered head injuries after the fall at about 12.30pm at the Corn Mill on Chapel Street, Skipton.

She was treated at the scene by paramedics before being airlifted to hospital.

It is believed she had climbed onto the roof from a first floor window, North Yorkshire police said in a statement.

The route of the cycling race was not affected by the accident, they added.

In a separate incident today, a teenage boy suffered leg injuries after being hit by a team vehicle which formed part of Tour de France convoy in Ilkley.

He was airlifted to hospital where his condition was described as "stable", West Yorkshire police said.

Officers were carrying out investigations at the scene of the crash, which happened at 12.39pm.

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Earlier, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed the Tour to Britain with a spectacular display by the Red Arrows.

They were joined by Prince Harry to welcome the world's best cyclists for the "Grand Depart" of the 101st Tour de France.

Cyclists gathered outside the 18th century stately home Harewood House, where they took off their helmets as they were greeted with a rendition of the French and British national anthems, performed by the Band of the Corps of the Royal Engineers.

Special guests: the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince Harry (Picutre: PA)

The Duchess of Cambridge, wearing a bottle green coat and grey clutch purse, the Duke and Prince Harry chatted with the lead riders, including British reigning Tour de France champion Chris Froome. Then Kate cut the ribbon to officially start the race.

Loud cheers erupted from the crowd as the RAF's Red Arrows performed a flyover that left a trail of red, white and blue vapour - the national colours of France and the UK.

Spectators flocked from all over the country to cheer on Froome as he hopes to retain the winner's famous yellow jersey he won last year.

Meanwhile, excited locals were hoping fellow Brit Mark Cavendish would pedal to victory in the first stage in his mother's home town of Harrogate.

The 198 racers enjoyed clear skies and bright sunshine as they left Leeds town hall at 11am in a leisurely ceremonial start, and began racing in earnest when they departed Harewood House.

Riders will pedal 190.5km from Leeds to Harrogate, weaving through the Yorkshire Dales and Moors and taking in three ferocious climbs.

Tomorrow they will arrive in York for a stage taking in some of the most challenging climbs in Britain, ending in Sheffield.

On Monday the Tour moves south to Cambridge with a stage ending beneath the gaze of Buckingham Palace on The Mall in central London - which was also the final finishing line in the 2012 London Olympics cycling road race.

The Tour then goes to Ypres in Northern France to mark 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War.

After 21 stages and some 2,272 miles, riders will finish on the Champs Elysees in Paris on July 27.

Britons have won the past two Tours; Sir Bradley Wiggins, 34, claimed the crown in 2012 becoming the first British winner of the toughest cycling race on the planet, while Froome, 29, sped to victory last year.

Up to three million people are expected to watch the Tour's two-day visit to Yorkshire.

Additional reporting by The Press Association

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