10 year old girl burnt on sun bed. it was unmanned, coin operated type

[Saltire]

here. Looks very painful. I've never been on a sunbed in my life!

I don't think a 10 year old would have understood why the age limit was there. They shouldn't be unmanned, it's cost cutting so they don't have to pay staff.

What do you think most people do if they are put in a room with a big red button and a sign saying 'do not touch this button'?

Get rid of mindless danger like sunbeds on the high street that are easily accessible to anyone. That's what I say

ermmm everyone that's bleating on about her being out on her own - read the blooming article

"She said she had given Kelly money for a visit to the fair with an older cousin.

"When they got there the funfair was closed so they went into town and decided to use the tanning centre."

so she was with an older cousin who presumably told her it was ok.........

I can't believe the lack of sympathy for the poor girl - she's only 10 FFS! Yes, she should not have gone in when there was a sign on the door stating No Under 16's and yes, a 10 year old should not be hankering after a tan but the poor thing!!!

She was not alone, it clearly states that she was with her older cousin.

Yes her mother should have made sure that she understood signs apply to her as well but how many of you have made sure your children are aware of the implications of tannng beds before they were allowed into town? I know my 14yo daughter is aware they are not good - but that is mostly because she is quite "tan averse" in any case. I know that many of her friends are quite happy to use them, they may know the implications but don't care.

The fact is that a sign on the door is not enough, it is sidestepping responsibilty. Yes the child should not have gone in but the company know what a tanning bed can do to a child, better than anyone else. THey have a responsibility. Not just to stop children using them but also to make sure adults dont stay on too long etc.

Well, like I said, I've never been on asunbed in my life, and actually had no idea that unmanned ones were availiable, I thought they were in proper salons, with staff!

It's probably some dodgy bloke running this sort of business. Just wait till we see him in the papers.

children do stupid things. They lack the - maturity - life experience - ability to risk assess etc etc. they're impulsive, they make poor choices at times - that's being a child!

And that's why they have parents. People to watch out for them until they are able to watch out for themselves.

yes that's why the mother left her 10 year old daughter to go to the fair with an older cousin - wonder how old the cousin was, 11 or 12 - who knows, which the reporter did their job properly here, but the mother made a terrible error of judgement thinking this cousin was responsible, just as she is irresponsible. Yes I also echo the where there's blame there's a claim. Mother looks very nicely suntanned in the picture doesn't she. Also don't forget to get your copy this weekend of the sun, news of the world etc for her exclusive story, £££££s

so no opinion on unmanned sunbeds, then?

at the end of the day though this could easily have been a 15yr old girl who did the same thing - ignored the sign saying no under 16's.

And how many of you would stop your 15yr old DD going out during the day with their cousin??

Either way if the sun bed was unmanned the same thing could easily have happened.

I also blame the parents and older cousin. The parents for letting her go with someone so irresponsible they can't read a sign that says 'no under 16's' and then the older cousin lets her put £8 in.

Life is full of hazards. How is this different from letting her go off with someone who got her pissed or tried to get her to drive?

It would be great if there were no unstaffed tanning booths but there are many age restricted activities that children foolishly take part in because they are inadequately supervised.

It could have been a 17 year old as well, though. It sounds like there is something wrong with the machine. I've used a few and it shouldn't be possible to cook yourself in 16 minutes, regardless of the age.

It happened to a 14 year old last time - she as an idiot too. When asked why she ignored the sign saying 'no under 16's' she said that it 'didn't apply to her'.

Lots of factors here.

1. First and foremost is an unmanned sunbed salon. IMO that is completely irresponsible. Children are just that and we cannot expect them to have the maturity to understand the implications of using such crap.

2)If the cousin was old enough and mature enough to be looking after a 10yr old then she should have steered her clear of the sunbeds.

3)Yes, she is partly to blame but as previously mentioned, she is a child of 10. I've taught many 10yr olds who would have struggled understanding such a warning sign.

yeah and of course when we were all teenagers we took full notice of all the age notices on things didn't we...........none of us drank under age, none of you smoke under age, if you were told not to do something you didn't...........

Difference: an off licence is not unmanned with a coin machine.

You cannot find cars unmanned with coin machines.

Of course youngsters can always find trouble if they are determined and can get involved in illegal activities. But there must be some measures in place to prevent this.

poor kid.

It's ridiculous that any Tom, Dick or Harriet can set up a row of dangerous machines on the high street and just leave them there, with no staff to make sure they are used responsibly. Pointy's knife analogy is very apt.

true FAQ, and that's why quite a few kids have died of alcohol poisoning.

Doesn't mean we ban alcohol, just restrict useage as much as we can age-appropriately.

Yes, the 10 year old may not have understood the sign but anyone she was entrusted to should have.

We must also restrict usage of sunbeds by children as much as we possibly can.

The person who runs this tanning salon obv a very dodgy greedy b?*&£$d after every buck they can possibly make, dont bother with receptionist that would eat away at their profits, greed of course before safety. How these companies are not regulated is beyond me.

yes but alochol is not available anywhere (that I know of) that's unsupervised - so vastly reducing the risk of alcohol poisoning.

If it was avaiable at coin operated machines with no supervision then yes - we'd have more instances.

So therefore if you want to reduce the risk of this happening you make sure that coin operated sun beds are manned!

I wonder what time of day it was for the shows fair to be shut? Most of them are open afternoons evenings aren't they

Trouble is (as far as I know) the owner has done nothing illegal. Irresponsible yes,but not illegal. So surely we should be looking to outlaw such establishments? After all, as has been mentioned if they were unmanned alcohol vending machines, could we possibly expect under 18s not to purchase? And would the blame for their subsequent drunkeness lie with them? I think not.

Perhaps it was early Sunday evening, Saltire, I think (but am willing to be corrected) that fairs are only allowed to open for 6 hours on a Sunday, like shops that close at 4pm.