Mum's warning after girl's horrific scooter accident
RHIANNON LEFT WITH FRACTURED CHEEKBONE AFTER BRAKE CABLE SNAPS
by MARY MAGEE
THE MOTHER of a girl who broke her cheekbone and wrist when she fell from
her three-wheeled scooter has warned parents of the dangers of the latest
toy craze.
A few weeks ago Lynn McManus's 11-year-old daughter Rhiannon from Lagmore Dale was out playing with friends on her new scooter when she fell into railings. She was going down hill at Old Colin when she was hurled over the handlebars after the brake cable snapped and ended up in a fence.
Despite wearing a helmet she was still left black and blue, with a broken wrist and cheekbone, her eyes blackened and sores across her body.
When she was taken to hospital was given morphine and gas and air to ease her pain.
Rhiannon was to be admitted in hospital but due to the lack of beds was taken home that evening before returning for further medication. It was only three days later that she was able to open her eye.
The accident was so traumatic that she doesn't want to see the scooter again.
"She is adamant that she never wants to go on a scooter again," said mum Lynn. "We were always so conscious of safety and yet this happens.
"They wanted to keep her in hospital but there were no beds. We brought
her back down on
Monday expecting her to go to theatre to get her wrist re-set but thankfully
she didn't need it."
Rhiannon got the scooter - which can go up to speeds of 25mph - for her 11th birthday on May 25, and apart from the premature wearing away of a tyre had until then no problems with it.
Lynn brought the scooter back to the shop and received a full refund and a £100 gift voucher from the store.
Lynn said that staff could not have been nicer but said she is keen to raise awareness of the dangers of the new fad.
"I would like the scooter to be recalled but at least I think parents should be aware.of the dangers of these type of scooters," she said.
mary.magee©ulsterstar.co.uk
Ulster Star
10/09/2010
