A girl nearly lost her finger in a play area after she managed to catch it on a sharp bolt on a piece of fitness equipment.

Eleven-year-old Summer Saward was injured at Lovell Road park in Minster on a static running machine, which has since been removed.

The Oasis Academy pupil, of Willis Court, Minster, was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital having lost a nail and part of her right index finger.

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She is also thought to have damaged nerves and tendons after the accident on Saturday evening.

Summer was taken to the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead to have an operation on Monday.

The sharp bolt which caused the injury should have been protected by a rubber seal which had eroded away on the static running machine, according to mum Danielle Howells.

The equipment has since been removed by firefighters.

Miss Howells is now calling for similar equipment around Sheppey to be checked.

She said: “People should be looking at this equipment regularly and making sure it’s safe.

“They should be made to sign something each time a piece is checked.”

Talking about her daughter’s injuries, Miss Howells added: “She was brilliant. She had to have her hand numbed at Medway because it was so painful for her.

“All they could do is wrap it up and give her morphine before we went home and we went to East Grinstead on Monday.

“We don’t know how well it’s going to heal and she’s at a very high risk of getting an infection.

“She’s going to have to have about a year of physio appointments.

“They’re just not sure whether there’s going to be any permanent damage.

“She can’t play football for at least six months. She’s gutted, bored and in pain.”

The youngster will have to return to East Grinstead on Monday, June 10, for follow-up appointments.

A Swale council spokesman said: “An accident has been reported on a piece of outdoor gym equipment at Lovell Road Open Space in Minster over the bank holiday weekend.

“We are in contact with the mother of the injured child and are investigating the accident

“All play equipment owned by Swale council, including outdoor gym equipment, meets the relevant safety standards and is inspected on a regular basis as recommended by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.”

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