School safety probe call after boy’s neck broken

Parents have called on city schools to “learn lessons” after a child was seriously injured during a PE lesson.

Alan Ramsay recovering at home after his ordeal. Picture: Scott Louden

Alan Ramsay, 12, fractured his neck and broke his jaw in two places after indoor goalposts collapsed on him at Liberton High.

The S1 pupil was briefly knocked out after last Thursday’s incident, which happened less than a year after Keane Wallis-Bennett was crushed by a wall at the same school.

Schools and community centres in the Capital have now been ordered to review gym equipment and the city council has reported the accident to the Health and Safety Executive.

Lindsay Law, who represents parents on the council’s education, children and families committee, said: “When parents send their children to school they have a fairly simple expectation that they will be kept safe. I hope the council will thoroughly investigate what happened to ensure appropriate lessons are learned to avoid accidents like this in future at all schools across the estate.

“This is needed to rebuild the trust between parents and schools, which can be damaged by incidents such as this one.”

Alan’s mum, Louise, has admitted her son was “silly” for swinging on the crossbar of goalposts during the game, but criticised Liberton High for not checking the equipment.

Ms Ramsay, 30, said her son was “overwhelmed by all the support” he had received from well-wishers following yesterday’s article in the News.

She said: “He’s doing alright – lots of his friends have been commenting on the story on his Facebook and he’s been putting pictures up.

“It’s now just a matter of seeing what will happen next with the school. He’s getting back to his cheeky self and doing well.”

Alan will return to the malliofacial unit at St John’s Hospital, Livingston, today for another check-up on his jaw.

He had an extensive operation to repair the two open fractures the day after the accident and faces at least two months in a neck brace.

Doctors are also monitoring a “kink” in a brain vessel, believed to be caused by the fracture at the top of his neck.

The condition is more often seen in adults, and can increase risk of a stroke, however doctors are so far pleased with Alan’s progress.