Redesign call after girl's skull fractured on swing

The mother of a six-year-old girl who suffered a fractured skull when she hit her head while riding a 360-degree basket swing has called for its design to be made safer.

Alice, from Swadlincote, Derbyshire, was injured when she collided with the frame of the cantilever swing at the Hicks Lodge site in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, on 9 May. She was taken to hospital and has since been discharged.

Her mother Leanne has now started an online petition calling for straight post cantilever swings to be replaced by safer curved options wherever they have been used.

"She's very lively so for her not to be still, not moving and not responding was the scariest thing I've ever had to see," she said.

Forestry England, which runs Hicks Lodge, told the BBC the swing was checked regularly and was not faulty.

Leanne, 28, told the BBC she had taken her daughter for a family day out with Alice's dad and the family dog.

The six-year-old entered the playground after riding her bike, during which time she had worn a helmet.

"When we got to the playground she took her helmet off to go on the swing," said Leanne.

"It was one of those swings which hangs down with chains and swings around 360 degrees."

Leanne explained that the swing was supported by one straight post at an angle, the design of which allows the swing to hit the wooden frame.

"It jolted her and then her head followed through with the swing and hit the wooden post," she said.

"I don't know if it knocked her out but she came over and went floppy and unresponsive."

Alice said after she banged her head she "couldn't remember anything" and went "wibbly wobbly".

She was taken to A&E where a CT scan showed her skull was fractured. After two days of treatment at a specialist unit in Nottingham she was discharged.

Leanne has now started an online petition calling for swings like the one Alice was using to be replaced.

"There are lots of alternatives where the pole isn't straight and it bends around so the swing can't hit the supporting post," she said.

"It feels like it's designed this way so that the park looks all modern and nice but I just don't think it's the safest option."

Leanne added Alice is resting up at home and catching up on schoolwork while she recovers.

In a statement, Jason Maclean from Forestry England, wished Alice a full and speedy recovery.

"Our thoughts are with the family following the incident when a young girl was injured," he said.

"We work hard to make the nation's forests welcoming places where people can relax, have adventures and enjoy being out in nature, so we're very sorry to hear that her injury was serious enough to have to go to hospital.

"Forestry England staff supported the family at the time and gave first aid. The following day, our site manager got in touch to check how she was doing and was very concerned to hear that the injury was more serious than first appeared."

Maclean added the playground is checked by trained staff regularly and is independently inspected every year

He added Forestry England checked the swing and confirmed it was not faulty but added they take "situations like this very seriously".

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