Clacton schoolgirl injured after tripping on broken pavement

A TRAUMATISED schoolgirl “nearly lost her eye” and “could have died” after tripping on a broken pavement and smacking her head on the ground, says her fuming mum.

Jen McCarthy’s five-year-old daughter Paisley tripped on a pot-holed piece of pavement in Dedham Avenue, Clacton, while on her way to school.

After hitting the ground and injuring her face, the aspiring model instantly burst into tears, as parents and students looked on in horror.

Her mum rushed her to hospitals in Clacton and Colchester, before being sent to Broomfield Hospital due to the severity of the cuts she had sustained.

After meeting with a plastic surgery specialist, the poor girl’s deep wounds - on her forehead and two millimetres away from the right side of her eye – were stitched up.

Jen, 30, who has lived in Clacton for more than 15 years, said: “I had to keep a brave face for my daughter’s sake but I ended up bursting into tears.

“She does modelling and this could now have affected her career because of the scars – I cannot fix her face, so it just depends on how she heals.

“She is traumatised when we walk into school and she does not like going into the garden because it is the same colour as the pavement she fell on.

“She is also not allowed to go out into the playground with the other children at the moment because of her injures, so it has affected everything.”

Jen has slammed Essex County Council for not doing more to ensure pavements and roads in the area, especially near schools, are safe and maintained.

“My daughter nearly lost her eye because of that pavement and she could have died if she had hit her head even harder,” added Jen.

“I am disgusted because when I was measuring to see how deep the hole was a lady came out and said she reported it several times already but nothing has been done.

“It is so close to a school - it could have been any child let alone an elderly person with thinner skin than my daughter.

“What does the council need to happen for them to actually do something?”

Bosses at Essex County Council have now apologised to Jen and Paisley and said they are investigating the incident. 

A spokesman said: "We are sorry to hear about this young child’s fall and hope she makes a speedy recovery from her injuries.

“Essex Highways is aware of this case and is looking into the matter. We will respond once we have investigated further.”