Glass slashes schoolboy's leg open at skatepark

Sean Meechan, aged 13, was playing with friends when he fell and landed on a piece of glass embedded in the grass slicing the flesh near his shin open.

Sean’s mum Gillian Carlton told the News: “He wasn’t even on his scooter at the time, he fell and slid down the skate ramp and hit the grass embankment at the bottom where the glass was.

“I was at the Main Street at the time. There was a lovely woman who got a first aid kit from her car and put Sean onto a bench, she kept his leg elevated and stayed with him until I arrived.

“We were struggling to slow down the bleeding, it was just pouring out of his leg, it was everywhere. I was terrified and desperate to get him to the hospital.

“We were lucky because a taxi was sitting at the entrance to the park. It took four of us to carry Sean to the car because he couldn’t walk.”

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Sean needed seven stitches in the huge gash and was sent home with bandages. Gillian was worried about cleaning out the wound and checking for infection so contacted a nurse to help.

The 41-year-old added: “He had to have seven injections before they could stitch him up and he is terrified of needles, it was a really traumatic experience.

“The doctors said if the glass had sliced the back of his thigh open it would have severed his artery and he would have died before we could have got him to the hospital.

“I can’t bear to think about how bad the situation could have been. I’m so thankful to the woman who stayed with Sean and looked after him.

“The piece of glass was half buried in the grass, I don’t know how long it had been there for that to happen. If the grass has been cut shorter, you’d have been able to see the glass and avoid it.

“I understand there’s been strikes involving the workers who cut the grass, but if it is making the parks unsafe maybe they should be shut for the time being.”

Gillian was also informed by the nurse that Sean’s wound is healing well, and he should be able to have his stitches out in a week, but he will be left with a nasty scar.

In response, an East Renfrewshire spokesperson said: “It is disappointing when public places are spoiled by those who drop their litter, especially broken glass which can be extremely dangerous.

“There are public bins located across East Renfrewshire and we would urge residents to ensure their rubbish is disposed of correctly.

“Our staff carry out daily litter collections at a wide range of locations across East Renfrewshire and residents can also report any specific issues via our website.”