DANGEROUS SLIDE IN WEST BRIDGFORD??? MY SON AND HIS BROKEN LEG THINK SO!

[mumsy247]

I was having a lovely day with my son in West Bridgford and decided to take him over to the park at the back of the M & S car park.

After the swings which he loves i took him on the new slide (not the massive one with the silver tube) but the one connected to that at the back with the yellow wavy slide. I had been on this a few weeks before with my 2 year old (2.5 in a couple of months) on my knee and thought then that it wasn't a pleasant experience. Shook violently from left to right then dumped in a bit of a daze at the bottom. But that was the one he wanted to go on, so thinking he is safer on my knee we went down it.

At the bottom he started crying and i realized that his leg was bent (even though i made very sure before going down that his legs were slightly in between mine and straight - i am an over cautious mother).

After ten minutes he was still intermittently crying and this wasn't like him. At this point a lady walked over and said a little boy broke his leg on that slide a few months ago.

It didn't look broken, but he was not his usual self (he's a tough cookie and rarely cry's) I took him straight to my doctors, who refereed me to A&E and yes to my horror it was broken.

I went back to the park the next day and watched anxiously as little toddlers came down it violently, nearly hitting their heads on the side where it bends. One little boy was dumped at the bottom and sat there for a few seconds in a daze from the journey. Then another little boy came down, as it is so fast and you can't slow yourself down and accidentally kicked the other boy who was still in a daze in the head with both of his feet.

I feel that the slide in question is dangerous, i have reported it to the council who are meeting me at the park next week with the manufactuer of the slide. But i would like to know if anyone else either thinks it is dangerous also, or have had any incidents on that particular slide.

I am horrified what my little boy has had to go through and fully intend on making sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else. I want the slide removed or replaced.

This could easily happen to someone else and i want to try to ensure that it doesn't.

Gosh that sounds awful. Is it the slide near the railings? if so it is rather fast and furious! I'd get some legal advice I think as I bet the council try and worm their way out of it

Yes it is the one near the railings. I will take your advice, thanks for the reply. It is good to have support xxx

I use this park all the time but we dont do the slide, mainly the sand pit,yer I would also get some advice.

next time I go Im going to have a look at the slide

Hi went to the park on sunday as the weather was so good. Checked out the slide your right it is a monster isnt it?! I didnt see any notice or anything about age limits. did you get a meeting with the council about your little ones accident

I think you have a good point. Also, it really worries me that older children climb up the big shiny slide on the outside (setting a bad example to younger children) - I'm surprised no-one's fallen off that one by now and broken something. And... while I'm here - those exercise machines just outside the children's play area are a liability - children go on them because they're so near the play area, and the running treads are treacherous and the sliding chair thing is very very dangerous, my 4 year old has had his hand squashed on that chair sliding down. Really bad. I've been meaning to write to the council about this but don't seem to get round to it. Good luck, I'd be interested to hear how you get on.

Accidents happen and I agree, having been down today, that the slide in question is hairy for little 'uns. But nevertoolate, you are expected to supervise your children down there. If the little ones are too small for that exercise equipment, the parents should keep 'em off it! The council shouldn't have to locate stuff for the simple convenience of small children. I keep mine well away from that awful chair but accept that the park is for everyone. While we are at it, the crossing through the M&S car park frequently gives me the heebyjeebies!

Absolutely, sleepingthrough, but I wouldn't deliberately take my children to a dangerous place safe in the knowledge that I'm supervising them

I will check this slide out

My 4 year goes down it without any complaint. I am normally more closely supervising my 2 year old

I will make sure he avoids it

Thank you