Mum warning about trespassing after son breaks his back in 20 ft fall
A Merseyside mum is urging parents to know where their children are throughout the summer - after her son escaped with his life after falling 20 feet from a derelict building while trespassing.
A Merseyside mum is urging parents to know where their children are throughout the summer - after her son escaped with his life after falling 20 feet from a derelict building while trespassing.
The 15-year-old from Marshalls Cross fell from a sky light on to the concrete floor of a derelict building on the Ravenhead Works site in St Helens.
He was one of more than 40 young people who had been trespassing at the privately-owned site close to the town centre when the accident happened two weeks ago.
The injured teenager’s mum, Kelly McCormick, who works as an A&E nurse, said: “I felt so angry about what happened, I felt sick but it was such a relief to see that he was alive and ok”
"We need to get this message out there to parents. My son's been very lucky that obviously he only came out with what injuries he did, and I'm strongly advising anybody to stay away from it."
Police officers, paramedics and fire fighters with specialist lighting equipment all responded to the call for help from one of the group and then spent several hours searching the site to make sure no other young people had come to harm.
The 15-year-old was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where has was found to have fractured his back. He has since been discharged but now has to wear a back brace to prevent more serious injuries occurring while he spends the summer holidays slowly recovering.
Neighbourhood sergeant Neil Birkett said: “This situation has almost resulted in a young man being paralysed. It is only through sheer good fortune that he did not suffer a spinal injury. To fall 20 feet and land on your back is extremely serious and it goes to show what a dangerous place the Ravenhead Works is for anyone to be, let alone children.
"The site is secured by a fence but we believe a large group of young people either found a gap or forced entry and spent Friday night there drinking alcohol and possibly taking drugs. This young man has somehow fallen through one of the man holes in the roof of the main building and been helped to the edge of site before being left behind as the group panicked and scattered.
"I would not want my child hanging around somewhere so dangerous in the first place, let alone when you add alcohol and drugs into the mix."
"This incident has caused the victim and his family a great deal of distress and we want to prevent anyone else going through this again."
To help keep young people safe in St Helens town centre and to deter them from getting involved in anti-social behaviour, local officers will be making full use of dispersal powers to order the ring-leaders out of the area. If they return they can be arrested.
Officers will also be returning anyone they find to be vulnerable in some way such as their young age, what substances they have taken, back home to their parents or guardians.
Police have also met with the owners of the Ravenhead Works, known locally as ‘The Factories’, to discuss the reinforcing of the perimeter fence and other security measures.