THE most successful gymnast in British history Beth Tweddle is in hospital recovering from neck surgery after falling during rehearsals for celebrity sports show The Jump.

Beth, 30, whose parents grew up in Manningtree and who still has family in the town, had two of her vertebrae fused together with a piece of her hip bone following the accident.

Although she described experience as “very scary”, the surgery has been a success and the gymnast is able to move her hands and feet.

She is the third celebrity contestant to pull out of the Channel 4 show this year, with fellow Olympian Rebecca Adlington suffering a shoulder injury and Holby City actress Tina Hobley dislocating an elbow and breaking her arm.

A Channel 4 spokesman said Beth was taken to hospital immediately after the fall.

Beth retired from gymnastics in 2013 following her bronze medal triumph at the 2012 London Olympics.