An eight-year-old girl lost six fingers in a freak accident involving fly-tipped waste.
In April, Kerry Ratcliffe’s daughter Bella was playing on land behind the family home in Clifton, Salford, when she suffered life-changing injuries.
Bella was ‘making a den’ when she stepped on a garden table, which had been dumped in the area.
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The young girl lost several fingers when she tried to grab onto a fence to break her fall.
Kerry, 34, said: “Bella was standing on a table, it wobbled, and her fingers came off. It’s heartbreaking. We heard screaming and a neighbour ran over and then my son pushed me back inside and said ‘she has got no fingers’, then I collapsed.
“She was in Wythenshawe Hospital. She was in surgery for 12 hours to reattach. It did not go to plan.”
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Bella - who is now nine - has returned to school and is 'adapting really well' to the circumstances.
However the mum-of-five says she is ‘still at a loss as to what’s happened’.
Since the accident, Kerry has moved her family to Winton, also in Salford, to be closer. One day, Bella will have a prosthetic hand, the mum said.
Kerry is now calling on the authorities to make sure the land - which neighbours claim is ‘hot spot for fly-tipping’ - is secured.
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Kerry said: “There’s a private entrance with iron gates. They told us that they had cut off the locks.
“Then it became a hotspot for fly-tipping.
“The gates are always open.
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“The neighbours said they have complained about them for years.”
Following the incident, Salford City Council confirmed the land is owned by ForHousing, a housing association.
Nigel Sedman, ForHousing's executive director of homes, said the organisation was ‘extremely sorry’ to hear about Bella’s accident.
Nigel added: “The security fence at the rear of the homes at Kestrel Avenue was put in place several years ago after local neighbours raised concerns about anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping in the area.
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“In April, a neighbour reported that this incident had taken place, and we immediately visited the site to make it safe.
“We will continue to offer support and work with the local community.”
Tyla has contacted ForHousing for additional comment.
Anish Vij