Boy’s legs broken after fall from ride at funfair

A funfair has seen four incidents take place in the space of four days, with one teenager and one man taken to hospital.

The Benson’s Funfair at Brockwell Park was home to scenes of “panic” on Friday, August 23 as three people were treated for injuries, possibly from an electrical fault – and on Tuesday a boy fell from a ride.

Theo Shaw, 12, from Herne Hill suffered broken limbs and a gash to his head after he fell from a ride called Extreme.

His mum, Aileen O’Brien, said: “He’s broken both legs and his thumb so he’s only got one
functioning arm at the moment.

“He also suffered facial injuries, he’s got a nasty gash above his eye and is going to need plastic surgery. It’s terrible.

“He’s in a lot of pain and has been very brave, but I think he’s starting to realise the reality of what has happened.

“His friends said the person on the ride before them got stuck so when he got in the barrier didn’t close properly and he slipped out.

“I can’t understand why the fair is still open. That’s bizarre.”

On August 23, one man was taken to hospital in a serious condition and a woman and a child were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Samantha Lee, 36, from Brixton was at the fair with her six-year-old daughter and described how she saw a man on the floor being given CPR before four ambulances arrived.

“When I arrived the first thing I saw was people and workers running to this guy on the floor,” she said. “One person said he’d got his arm trapped in the waltzer and another said he’d got an electric shock.”

“I actually really thought he was probably dead, as they were performing CPR for quite some time without any outcome.

“As that happened the bouncy castle behind them started to deflate with a load of kids on it. I don’t know why.

“The workers were crying their eyes out and running around. I had to point out the bouncy castle to them.

“I thought ‘this is not safe, I have to leave’ and got my daughter and we left very quickly. There was a lot going on. Loads of people were trying to get out and get their money back.

“My daughter was so excited to go to the funfair, however she left scared and in tears after seeing the man on the floor and all the panic.”

The man is now in a stable condition.

A Met spokeswoman said: “Police attended Brockwell Park at around 4.40pm on Friday following reports that three people were injured near a fairground ride.

“London Ambulance Service also attended and one man has been taken to hospital in a serious condition.

“A woman and a child were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

“At this early stage, it is believed that the injuries may have been due to an electrical fault. Police and other emergency services attended.

“Police were called to Brockwell Park, SW2 at around 6pm on Tuesday by London Ambulance Service.

“Medics attended and a teenager, believed to be 15 years old, was taken to hospital. At this early stage it is believed he fell from a fairground ride.”

The South London Press tried to contact Benson’s Funfairs for a comment on Wednesday afternoon but had not received a response by the time we went to press.

Photo: Police and paramedics at the scene in Brockwell Park after Theo Shaw fell from a funfair ride. Theo Shaw, 12, and his mother, Aileen O’Brien (Picture: BPM Media)