Schoolboy Lewis Parker was left unconscious and with a suspected fractured cheekbone after coming a ‘cropper’ at a concrete skateboard bowl in a March park.
Now his mum Caroline Parker is calling for urgent action to repair the play area at the bottom end of West End Park and is warning other parents of the danger it presents.
Lewis, who celebrated his 12th birthday on Wednesday, flipped over his scooter’s handlebars after the front wheel caught in a crack in the bowl’s base as he performed a stunt last Thursday evening.
“He can’t remember exactly what happened, but his friends witnessed everything and were able to fill in the gaps. They said his wheel caught in the crack and Lewis flipped right over the handlebars and landed unconscious on the concrete,” said Caroline, of Truman Avenue, March.
“We only dropped him off while we went to do a bit of shopping, we were only gone about 20 minutes, and when we got back he was lying in the bowl unconscious and fitting.
“The other youngsters were brilliant, they’d put him in the recovery position, called the ambulance and some had got on their scooters to come and find us.
“Lewis suffered severe concussion and short term memory loss, he can’t remember coming home from school or anything much from that day. The ambulance crew that came out were brilliant, they took him to Peterborough City Hospital and we were there until the early hours,” explained Caroline, who with husband Nathan has four other children.
She is also appealing for a good Samaritan who came to help to get in touch.
“I was just so frantic, I was in a bit of state but this lady came over with her grandson and spoke to me and calmed me down. She was very kind, but I didn’t get her name and I would really like to thank her for her kindness,” said Caroline, who has contacted Fenland District Council over the safety of the bowl.
“I didn’t realise the state the bowl is in - it needs repairing. The crack in the bottom is really dangerous, but there are cracks round the rim and other damage caused by constant use. Every child I spoke to has had an accident,” she added.
A spokesman for Fenland said: “We were contacted on Monday asking us to investigate a loose drain and some potholes at the skate bowl. Our contractors have been down there this week to carry out some necessary repairs.
“We carry out weekly inspections of the site. Facilities like this are obviously subject to a lot of wear and tear, so we urge everyone using them to take care and inform us straightaway of problems that need fixing.”
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