The Jump 2016: Beth Tweddle recovering in hospital after neck surgery following ski-jump accident

Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle is recovering in hospital after having neck surgery for an injury she sustained on The Jump.

The 30 year-old athlete was forced to withdraw from the Channel 4 celebrity ski-jumping competition after slamming into a barrier during rehearsals.

Tweddle was airlifted to hospital, where surgery was performed to take a bone from her hip and use it along with pins to fuse two fractured vertebrae in her neck.

The gymnast thanked her fans for their support, saying: “The last 48 hours have been very scary but all the messages have really helped to keep me positive. I will keep you updated on my progress.”

Tweddle’s parents have praised the medical team as “fantastic” following the successful surgery.

“The early medical indications were positive as Beth was able to move her hands and feet, despite being in a lot of discomfort,” they said. “It was a scary time for all of us and we're just very grateful that the operation was a success.”

A statement from Channel 4 said: "The health and safety of the competitors is always paramount and Beth was immediately taken to hospital for treatment after hurting herself during training."

Several celebrities have been forced to remove themselves from the current series of The Jump due to injuries.

Fellow Olympian Rebecca Adlington quit after injuring her shoulder, saying that the pain was “worse than childbirth”.

Holby City actress Tina Hobley dislocated her elbow and fractured her arm in two places, while Linford Christie is currently recovering from a hamstring injury but may return to the show when he recovers.

Channel 4, Sunday, 8pm