A Company Has Been Fined After Two Boys Were Hurt In A Fairground Accident

The owner of a poorly-maintained fairground ride has been fined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an accident.

Conor Baker and Danny Keogh, both 16, were seriously injured when they were riding the Mega Bounce Frog ride at Abbey Park in Leicester on July 28th 2012.

Friends and visitors witnessed the accident, which was also caught on camera, and reported seeing the car the two boys were sitting in start to tilt sideways before being thrown off the ride completely as it began to rotate.

A later HSE investigation found that a clip and pin used to secure the car to its operating arm had fallen out - meaning it was not safe or fit for purpose.

Owner William Normal Roberts, of Bag Lane in Atherton, Manchester, was in charge of maintaining the ride, but neglected to ensure it was safe for users and was prosecuted for causing the boys' injuries.

Mr Keogh was treated in intensive care and needed extensive surgery for a collapsed lung, broken arm and deep lacerations. The teenager also broke a number of teeth and required 88 stitches to repair the damage to his skin.

The other boy, Conor Baker, was treated for a broken nose, broken teeth, cuts to his face and a blow to his head.

For his part in the accident, Mr Roberts was fined £6,500 and told to pay costs of £5,000 after admitting a breach of Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

Speaking about the case, HSE inspector Neil Ward said: "The unsafe condition of the ride resulted in very serious injuries to two young men who had gone out to celebrate finishing their GCSE exams.

"The outcome could have been much worse. It was a horrifying and painful experience for Conor and Danny and extremely distressing for their families, friends and members of the public who witnessed the incident. The public rightly expects rides to be safe."

Expert Opinion

This was a shocking incident which lead to severe injuries for the two boys involved. We all put our trust in the safety of such rides and it is important that any fairground amusements are regularly maintained and checked for faults to avoid the type of injuries described in the HSE’s prosecution. <br/> <br/>"The owners have been fortunate on this occasion that the outcome wasn’t even more serious and that they were not also facing more serious repercussions under health and safety legislation.” Neil Whiteley - Partner