A toddler was rushed to hospital after burning his legs and hand on a playground slide which had overheated in the hot weather.
Little Riley Doherty, 20 months-old, was left in agony when he stumbled onto the scorching metal ramp leading to a zipwire in a council-run park.
His horrified mother Claire Shreeves, 27, took him to hospital where he was given strong pain relief and his burns were wrapped.
The mum now faces an anxious six-month wait to see if there has been any permanent scarring to Riley’s legs and right hand.
Mother-of-one Claire, who is pregnant with her second child, said Riley was at the bottom of the ramp and fell onto it.
She said: “He tried to get up again, but fell again. As you can imagine he was hysterical, he was in so much pain he couldn’t control what he was doing.”
She first took Riley to her GP who recommended Calpol but he was still crying in pain so she took him to A&E.
Claire, who sells beauty products from home, said: “The hospital staff were really quite shocked that the GPs hadn’t done anything.
“The doctor [at the hospital] wrapped him up in clingfilm and gave him a morphine-like drug that sent him to sleep.
“They had to burst the blisters that had already formed. They blisters were so big it was like his hand was double the size.
“They aren’t 100 percent sure about the damage done as burns grow in length and depth over time.
“I’m just really quite shocked seeing my little boy in so much pain, he couldn’t breathe properly because he was crying so hard.”
The accident happened in the Parson’s Close playground in Leighton Buzzard, Beds., last Friday where temperatures passed 25C.
Claire has now started a petition calling on Leighton-Linslade Town Council and Central Beds Council to review the equipment and has already gained over 990 signatures.
She said: “While Riley slept I did nothing but cry and say it was all my fault as I couldn’t get there quick enough.
“Why should I blame myself when the people who made these materials know exactly how hot they get?
“I know for a fact there are materials out there that are more suitable for children’s play areas and won’t cause such a nasty injury to a child or even an adult.
“A lot of mums and dad in Leighton Buzzard and further beyond agree with me that something needs to be done as soon as possible.”
Leighton-Linslade Town Council said they were investigating.
They said: “The investigation will carefully examine the circumstances that led to the incident and we will be working closely with our insurance company as well as the manufacturer of the play equipment and RoSPA, to establish what happened and how best to proceed in light of the accident.
“The town council would like to reassure parents and carers that all our play equipment is inspected by our qualified staff as well as independent examiners on a regular basis and continues to be found fit for purpose.”
Read about the PLANT burning children while they play
