COUNCILLOR BURKE JOINS PARENTS IN CALL FOR CHANGES AT CHILD'S PLAY AREA AFTER NEAR FATAL FALL (Colne Valley Liberal Democrats)

Colne Valley Liberal Democrats <info@colnevalleylibdems.org.uk>

COUNCILLOR BURKE JOINS PARENTS IN CALL FOR CHANGES AT CHILD'S PLAY AREA AFTER NEAR FATAL FALL

September 9, 2010 9:01 AM

Cllr Cahal Burke (Lib Dem) at Fern Lea play area in Lindley.

Lindley Councillor Cahal Burke (Lib Dem) has joined forces with two local parents to call for changes to Fern Lea Play Area after their son was nearly fatally injured falling from one of the rides.

As covered in the Examiner on June 12 2010, Reece Geisler fell from the bouncing-seesaw and cracked his head on the concrete edging of the play area. This resulted in Reece having to be rushed to Leeds General Infirmary to undergo major brain surgery lasting three and half hours.

Cllr Burke, who is a regular visitor to the play area with his own daughter, believes that the bouncing-seesaw needs to be moved or taken away altogether. He believes that it is too close to the edge of the playground which is placing other children at risk of injury.

Cllr Burke has been advised by the council that the piece of equipment is safe if operated correctly and meets all the required safety standards. But Cllr Burke feels that Reece's horrific injury shows that something is not right about this part of the play area and the council should take action.

Cllr Burke said:

"Mr and Mrs Geisler's son has come off the seesaw and managed to hit his head on the concrete edging of the playground. If the see saw had been positioned further into the play area he probably wouldn't have hurt himself as there is a special rubber crumb surface. The council says that everything is within the guidelines - which I have no doubt is correct - but Reece's injury shows that something is not quite right here. Reece's parents and I don't want to see this happen again and we are appealing to the council to relocate this piece of equipment or remove altogether it if it cannot be moved."