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12-Year-Old Boy Breaks Both Legs Falling From Funfair Ride In London

12-Year-Old Boy Breaks Both Legs Falling From Funfair Ride In London

He cheated death, but was still badly injured

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

A 12-year-old boy was lucky to escape with his life after falling out of a ride at a travelling funfair in a park in London.

Theo Shaw was rushed to hospital with two broken legs and a cut on his head after he fell from a ride called 'Extreme' at the funfair, which has been set up in Brockwell Park.

The funfair remains open.

The incident occurred at just before 6pm on Tuesday even when medical staff arrived to rush the young boy to King's College Hospital.

Theo's mum Aileen O'Brien, who is an employee at St George's Trust Hospital in Tooting, wants the whole fair to be shut down in the wake of her son's injury.

Theo and his mother Aileen O'Brien in hospital.
BPM Media

She said: "He's going to have surgery tomorrow and he will not be able to walk for eight weeks.

"I do understand accidents happen but children should be able to go on rides without getting hurt.

"I can't believe it's open today, they [Lambeth Council] should close the whole thing down.

"There is clearly a problem with health and safety across the board."

Theo's friends, who were on the ride with him at the time of the accident, say that the restraint that was supposed to hold him in place had not come down correctly.

They also said that one of Theo's mates tried to grab hold of him to keep him in the ride while they screamed for it to be stopped.

However, as the ride began to spin around he started to slip out and staff weren't aware of what was happening until he eventually fell out altogether.

The fair remains open, although the ride has been closed.
BPM Media

A spokesperson for Lambeth Council confirmed to The Sun that the ride that Theo fell from had been closed down, but the rest of the funfair was still open.

They said: "This ride has been closed, and we are working with the HSE [Health and Safety Executive] and the police to investigate the cause of this incident.

"We will take any further action required once the investigation has been completed and the full facts have been established.

"We wish the boy a speedy recovery."

The fair is being held in London's Brockwell Park.
PA

A spokesperson for HSE said: "HSE is aware and attending the scene.

"Enquiries are at an early stage and there will be an investigation."

The Sun also reached out to Bensons Funfairs, who organised the fair, but their spokesperson said: "I don't know anything about it as I wasn't there."

No further comment has yet been made. The funfair is set to continue until 2 September.

Featured Image Credit: BPM Media

Topics: UK News