To feel I should contact someone about this danger.

[Shakenupmum82]

Just had a horrible horrible experience. One that's really upset me. We went in the woods near our house. As far as I know it's owned by the national trust. it could be the woodland trust. We drove today to to so out 2.5 year old could toddler with reins. It's like a pathway around it for families to follow. Very high hedges and walls all around. With those gates that you push and it closes to stop kids and animals running out.

My kids were running happily a few Meters infront. I was watching them 100%. Suddenly I saw to fences and a huge gap in the middle and 60mph hour cars flying past. I bolted to grab my son. He decided to bolt ahead. My partner screamed at him to stop just as he got through the gap and thank goodness he frooze in fear. He was 2 meters and seconds away from being killed by a car.

We are back home. I take 100% responsibility that now letting walk ahead without holding my hand was a massive error. I'm just massively concerned as it's such an unobvious risk. Plenty of kids and toddlers were in there today walking ahead of parents etc. Do you think I should be contacting someone to tell them that it's an extremely dangerous risk to young children. Or is it 100% not an issue and parents are responsible (which obviously we are)

I am always focused on them and It just terrifies me that another child could end up killed as it's the only dodgy part where a child can get near the road.

Opinions please.

Hi yes dog walkers use it. Although they are on leads mostly. I think the odd dog gets let off. A dog could definitely also bolt onto the road. It's very dangerous.

God, are you all okay? I'd definitely drop them a line, many NT places will have a lot of volunteers and other workers out of action at the moment, but I'm sure the estates people would want to know so they can try and put something in place like a gate or a stile or something or at least a warning sign temporarily. They try to be pretty family friendly and inclusive so I'm sure they'd want to know.

Worst case, they’ll just reply and say ‘sorry, it’s necessary to have it like that because...’.

You may as well email.

We are ok thanks. It's just pure luck that he frooze otherwise I'm 99% sure he would be in hospital or worse now. A car came seconds after he frooze. Ive contacted them so I'm hoping I will hear back. It's definitely encouraged to families and it has signs up on some gates to pick up poo etc. It also has alot of climb over gates. It's just dangerous and i hope they can sort it. It takes seconds for a child to bolt or an animal.

Hope you’re ok OP.

Don’t know if I quite understand the type of place you were walking, but to go from a nice National Trust type environment to a main busy road via one fence sounds very dangerous. There should at least be signs or a big NO ENTRY thing.

Could you hear the traffic from the woods?

The thing is, had this gap been by a quiet country road, it might not have been ideal, but it wouldn't have been a huge risk. I agree it should be a gate/have those wiggly bits you have to go through carefully (usually to prevent bikes).

Frightening, of course in an ideal world you would hold your toddlers hand 24/7 but I can see entirely why this looked safe and you wanted to let him roam. Thank goodness you were watching and were able to run to him quickly.

Worth dropping them an email about this at the very least.

You hear the cars sometimes depending where you are. The part we were heading towards is the road area but it's always been fully closed in in the past, can't we past the hedges usually. I haven't been to this part for quite a while so not sure how long it's been like this.

Thanks for all the kind comments. It's woodland trust owned from what I can tell. I think they work with national trust?

See past sorry! My phone is a pain with its little keys.

Yes, I would let them know.

I am LOLing at the people on here saying "you should have had your child restrained in any case!!!" If it appeared to be a safe car-free wooded area then I would let my child walk without holding on to them. So would most people. Being able to walk freely, go at their own pace, stoop and pick things up, is important for toddlers' development. If they can't do that in what appears to be a safe quiet little wooded area, where can they?

Exactly. We've been locked away for ages so I try and take them to places to let off energy in a safe way. I will update you when they get back to me. If I held his hand the whole time in there he wouldn't have been able to pick sticks up an would have spent most of it dropping his weight and pulling away. Just was a horrible close call. I really hope they put something up. I've looked along the road on Google maps and it's all fences with the foot board to climb over. So it appears they usually have protection from the road.

Kissing Gate.

I would defo report it .A while ago in our local Woods a dog was killed as he ran straight out of an open gate (hidden behind some trees).Horrific! Either the fence has been damaged or they are unaware of it.(NT I mean)

Report

If it's Londonthorpe Woods you were at then it's the Woodland Trust not the NT.
You must contact them, they probably don't know.

Hi yes that's where it is. I have contacted them so we will see. Thanks. I wonder if they know about it too.

Looks like a missing gate. According to the website, all entrances are either stiles or kissing gates.

Small world!

How scary and yes try and contact them. As a parent of a son the same age I understand letting him have a bit of freedom when you think it’s safe so try not to beat yourself up.

Gosh, how terrifying. As bad as it could have been, try to forgive yourself and move on. It's easy to keep imagining what could have been. But your child is safe because you were alert. Yes I would definitely report!

Thanks everyone. It's all reported so fingers crossed for a reply. I just can't bare to think of another parents heart in their mouth trying to stop a fearless toddler from doing the same thing. It takes seconds for a child to do something dangerous. I would never ever put my child on danger. Hes always in a pushchair or holding hands in the street. Thanks for all your help.

@diddl sure is. It's a lovely area isn't it. I normally love walking around this area with the kids. Makes you feel you are out the way. We choose these areas because they are usually safe and secure too.

I don't think that gap looks like it's meant to be there. It looks more like someone local or linked to the place has made it to create a shortcut.

Report it. If it was official, there'd be a gate.

Yes exactly. I got that from Google earth so it may look different from today. So I'm not sure if it's been this way for months or if it gets pinched or something. Maybe I am the first person to see an issue with it locally. But if I am I'm surprised. Its very close to the footpath so it's too dangerous to have open like that isn't it.