SAFETY concerns have been raised over gym equipment at Shirley Park after a nine-year-old cut his finger off while playing on it.
Conner Cleaver trapped his finger in one of the mechanisms of a lateral pull down machine and had to have it surgically re-attached after the horrific accident at the Stratford Road park.
He went to the park with his mum Liza Maguire and aunty Sharee Smith – but the trio had only been there a couple of minutes when they heard Conner shouting.
Liza told the Observer: “I was a couple of yards away on the benches when it happened.
“I went running over and at first I thought his tooth had fallen out or something but when I saw what had happened I went into a panic.
“Luckily my sister Sharee was there and helped Conner while I called the ambulance.”
The Robin Hood School pupil had to undergo surgery with a pin put in his bone and it was touch-and-go as to whether his finger would successfully heal and re-attach permanently.
After almost a month-long wait Conner and his family were able to breath a sigh of relief when the re-attachment had been a success.
There were no signs at the park explaining how to use the equipment nor anything which advised children not to use it or stand on it.
Sharee added: “I think it’s disgraceful there are no warning signs saying not to stand on the equipment or explaining how to use it safely.
“If this piece of equipment was in a gym people would be shown how to use it safely and there’s none of that at the park.
“Something needs to be done before someone else gets hurt.”
A Council spokesperson said it was looking into the circumstances of the incident and talking with the manufacturer to look at ways to make sure such an incident doesn’t happen again.
Solihull MP Julian Knight said: “Solihull Council’s award-winning services and facilities, like those in Shirley Park, are great for local residents.
“Installing gym machines in parks is a great way to make such equipment more accessible to the community, and I welcome Solihull Council’s investment in residents’ health and wellbeing.
“However, it is also important that any lessons which can be learned and implemented from this accident are explored to ensure all residents can use these facilities safely and to try and avoid similar situations in future.”
