Jockey Kirsty Milczarek has been forced to retire on medical advice following a freak accident at Brighton last October.

She damaged her neck coming out of the stalls on the John Long-trained Microlight, yet she completed the race in ninth place behind Ficelle in a six-furlong handicap.

Milczarek, 29, had to undergo a major operation and her decision came after she was told she risked being paralysed if she suffered another fall from the saddle.

''I received the news on Friday which I had never really considered. I was told I would never be able to race-ride again,'' Milczarek told www.gbiracing.com.

''Being a jockey is all I've known for the last 10 years, so to be told your career has ended was shocking.

''It was almost a year ago that I damaged my neck after hitting my head in a freak accident coming out of the stalls in a race at Brighton.

''I had major seven-and-a-half-hour surgery to replace three discs in my spinal cord and I knew it would be a long road back.

''I guess deep down there was always a possibility that I would never be able to race-ride again, but I always pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind.

''It's a unique injury and there just isn't the medical history to know exactly what processes to go through.

''I am still in a reasonable amount of pain and I have a persistent ache in my neck.

''Doctor Hill (British Horseracing Authority chief medical adviser), who has been fantastic, told me that I if I had a fall in race, there is a chance I could be paralysed.

''I am spending time with my family right now and will continue to help out John Ryan until the end of the season and then I'll take a break, go on holiday, and think through what I want to do.

''It's all a bit raw at the moment to know what happens next but I'd like to stay in racing.

''There is a chance I might still be able to ride out again and hopefully there will be some opportunities.

''Next season I can hopefully start afresh and in the right frame of mind to really attack anything I put mind to.

''I've enjoyed a wonderful 10 years as a jockey and have enjoyed many highs, including on horses such as Kikonga, Saigon and Rewarded.

''I've won Listed races and ridden in Group Ones, and achieved a lot which I should rightly be proud of.

''I've spent most of my career with James Toller, four excellent years with Luca Cumani, and then rode for John Ryan towards the end of my career and I am helping him now.

''I'd like to thank so many people for giving me opportunities but those three trainers and also my agent Mark Furnass deserve special mention.

''In the meantime I'll still be keeping busy with media work and my weekly columns for GBI Racing.

''Thank you all for your support as I look forward to the next chapter of my life now.''

Milczarek enjoyed a 10-year career, with her best season coming in 2008 when she rode 71 winners.

Her most valuable success came on I Love in the £200,000 Tattersalls Millions Auction Trophy at Newmarket in September 2010, while another notable victory came on Rewarded in the Listed Festival Stakes at Goodwood in May 2013.

She did, however, have to fight to clear her name after she was involved in a corruption scandal in 2011.