THE parents of a student airlifted to safety in Russia after a distress signal was picked up in Scotland say they just want to give her "a big hug".

Kimberley Warren, 20, from Sway, fell from a horse and broke her leg while on a Nottingham University research trip in the remote Kamchatka Nature Park.

The team's personal locator beacon was picked up by satellites monitored 4,500 miles away at RAF Kinloss, Moray.

Russian rescue teams were scrambled and Kimberley, a second-year zoology student, was flown by helicopter to the nearby town of Esso for treatment.

Kimberley's mother, Liz, confirmed her daughter was safe and said although her injuries are likely to be uncomfortable, they are not life-threatening.

She said: "As parents, all we want to do is get her home and give her a big hug.

"Kimberley has had a fabulous time on this trip.

"From her emails we know it's been hard work, but she's loved every minute.

"It's confirmed to her that this is what she wants to do with her life."

The team's distress beacon is registered in the UK and uses GPS technology to give an accurate position within five seconds of being activated.

RAF Kinloss picked up the alert on their search-and-rescue satellite system at 10pm BST on Thursday.

The RAF operator contacted her Russian counterparts and they sent a rescue helicopter.

Severe weather made the rescue difficult, and the rugged nature of the region made rescue only possible by helicopter or horseback.

The group was nearing the end of a two-and-a-half-month expedition to study animals and plants.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is a remote volcanic ridge in eastern Russia.