A WITHYWOOD mum wants a piece of play equipment removed from her local park after her daughter suffered a fractured eye socket when it hit her in the face.
Maddison Conn was playing at Hengrove Park when another child let go of the metal handle on the back of a metal water pump and it swung into the little girl's face.
The seven-year-old's face has been left covered in bruises and doctors have told her parents that she has fractured her eye socket.
Now her mum, Leanne Saint, wants the city council to do something about the equipment – which she says is unsafe for children to be playing with.
She is also concerned about first aid provision at the park – a 76 hectare former airfield in south Bristol.
She claims that when she knocked on the door of the office at the park, which had a first aid sign on it, no one was there.
Miss Saint, 26, said: "Maddison had been playing happily in the play area when another child swung this metal pump back and let go of it.
"It hit her in the face, and she came running to us crying. We tried to get help from the office but no one was there, and then we went to the kitchen area to get ice and they told us to ask in the office. I am absolutely appalled at how we were treated."
Miss Saint took Maddison to the local walk-in centre and then the children's hospital, where she is due to have more X-rays next week.
"It is a really nasty injury, she has been very upset by it," said Miss Saint. "She is in a lot of pain and it has knocked her confidence.
"I think that piece of equipment should be removed – it is obviously not safe for children to play with. We are lucky that Maddison's eye was not taken out and it is just a broken bone we are talking about."
She said the equipment is a metal pump, which she thinks is used to pump water in the summer months.
A city council spokeswoman said: "All accidents and injuries involving young visitors at our play parks are taken very seriously and are thoroughly investigated.
"We believe that any accident is one accident too many, which is why health and safety at our play parks is paramount.
"At Hengrove, the play equipment is checked daily by our trained staff and regular independent safety checks are also carried out. Serious accidents and injuries are very rare. The vast majority of our visitors enjoy a fun-filled day of play and excitement.
"At the weekend when this injury occurred, Hengrove Play Park was very busy with over 1,000 visitors making the most of the spring-time weather and the play facilities on offer. Throughout the day, staff were out patrolling the park.
"Our staff are paediatric qualified first-aiders. However, in such instances and given the serious nature of the injury staff would always recommend parents take their child straight to hospital.
"We would welcome the opportunity to meet with the parents to find out more about how the accident happened and see if any lessons can be learnt."
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