A photographer has denied that the paparazzi were to blame for Madonna falling off her horse.

‘The accident occurred when the horse Madonna was riding was startled by paparazzi who jumped out of the bushes to photograph the singer, who was visiting friends,’ said the star’s spokeswoman after the incident in Long Island, New York.

However, photographer Thomas Hinton said there was only one photographer present when the singer fell and denied the paparazzi were to blame.

Speaking for himself, Hinton said that he had only photographed the pop star from the road ‘before and after’ the accident and was not there at the time.

Madonna was treated for minor bruises at a nearby hospital.