Battle to save legs of girl crushed by falling snow

A TEENAGE girl crushed by falling snow from the roof of her home faces a series of operations as medics try to restore the use of her legs, writes Mark Smith.

• Samantha Kinghorn: 14-year-old suffered serious spinal injuries

Samantha Kinghorn, 14, suffered serious spinal injuries after snow and ice fell on her as she cleared a path at Middlethird Farm, near Gordon in Berwickshire.

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The Earlston High School pupil was yesterday recovering from emergency surgery in Glasgow's Southern General Hospital.

Samantha is understood to be facing further surgery on Wednesday as doctors attempt to repair her damaged spinal cord. The teenager's condition was described as "serious but stable" yesterday.

Along with thousands of other pupils in the Borders she had been off school because of the weather.

Samantha had been helping her father Neil, who is the farm manager at Middlethird, clear snow when the freak accident happened on Thursday.

Neighbour Susan Hutch-ison said: "It was all quite horrific. She was just out there helping my husband, her dad and a few others clear snow and ten seconds later this happens.

"It is quite difficult to tell what happened because all the snow is stacked up here, five feet in places. But this must have come from the roof. The farm is about a mile from the main road and the ambulance could not get up. Her dad got the tractor out and cleared the road to allow the ambulance to get here.

"We are just hoping and praying for her. She is a lovely wee lassie who is always so helpful

"We are not sure how she is at the moment but we are told she is quite perky and keeping her spirits going."

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After the accident Samantha complained of not being able to feel her legs and she was taken to Borders General Hospital near Melrose, Roxburghshire.

On Friday morning, an air ambulance took her 70 miles to Glasgow, the journey by road being considered too dangerous.

A police escort had been on stand-by to take her to Glasgow but with roads affected by road and ice, it was decided to airlift her instead.

A temporary thaw yesterday and temperatures rising above freezing for the first time in a week, raises fears of similar incidents.

Scottish Borders Council issued a statement alerting people to the dangers of snow and ice falling from roofs.

A spokesperson said: "The weight of snow from roofs should not be underestimated. If it falls on those standing underneath it can cause serious harm."

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