The distraught mother of a young boy whose neck almost snapped on a bungee fairground ride has issued a stark warning to other parents.
Afton Gordon rushed son Jayden Jenkins, seven, to hospital after his neck was caught on a rope at a fun park in Dunfermline.
Jayden suffered bruising and whiplash and medics told Afton if the three-stone youngster was any bigger he might have broken his neck.
The frightening incident, which was reported to the Health and Safety Executive, occurred at the Mega Fun Park at Duloch Leisure Centre last week.
Thomsons Funfair owner David Thomson said the accident was Jayden’s own fault.
Bungee trampolines see children strapped into harnesses and able to jump several feet high suspended by bungee cords.
Afton, 24, of Kelty, said: “On only his second bounce he went forward and the rope looped round his neck. He was struggling to breathe.”
When he was released, terrified Jayden was crying hysterically and his neck was bruised and swollen.
Afton, who lives in Centre Street and has a younger daughter, Hailey, three, said: “When we took him to hospital they said he was lucky he wasn’t any heavier. It’s horrifying to think about it, especially because they said he could have broken his neck.”
Mr Thomson’s brother-in-law John Smith owns the bungee trampoline but was working offshore when The Courier tried to contact him.
Mr Thomson said: “There was nothing wrong with the ride it was the child’s own fault. He was doing donuts (somersaults) and my brother-in-law asked him to stop and told the woman with him to tell him to stop.”
There was no response from the HSE but Fife Council’s parks and community events officer Keith Jackson said: “Any event that takes place in one of Fife Council’s parks is subject to a risk assessment.
“In the case of fun fairs, this includes checking that each ride has an appropriate inspection certificate, carrying out individual risk assessments of each ride and ensuring that the fair has appropriate public liability insurance.”