Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Boy, 11, impaled on metal pole
Leg pierced 2cm from major artery
A SCHOOLBOY had a lucky escape after becoming impaled on a metal rod while out playing with friends.
Ryan Patev, 11, was rushed to hospital with the pole still in his thigh after the incident at The Warren in Portstewart on Wednesday.
The rod are understood to have been put in the playing field as the area was being used as an overflow car park during the Irish Open.
An investigation is now underway by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and the European Tour.
Mum Natalie Pateva said her son was lucky the pole did not rupture a major artery.
She said: “I was at work and my husband had just started and he got a call from his mum saying Ryan had a pole stuck in his leg.
“I did not know what to do, you think the worst. I was thinking, ‘Please do not let it be near an artery’.
“An ambulance came and he went to hospital with it in his leg because they did not know where it was near in his leg.”
Staff at the Causeway Hospital carried out four x-rays on Ryan’s leg before the pole, which was four inches deep in his right thigh, was removed.
Ryan was able to return to his home in Portstewart the same evening and his mum said he was making a good recovery.
Natalie added: “He was really brave, his friends who had witnessed it were terrified at what happened, there was crying.
“There were a lot of people around at the time who spoke to Ryan and kept his mind off it and stopped him going into shock. I just want to say thank you to all of those people.”
Ryan had been standing on a small wall speaking to a man and woman when he fell and landed on the pole.
Mum-of-three Natalie, 35, said doctors told the family they had not seen an injury like it before.
She continued: “If it had been 2cm up it would have hit a main artery, I am so thankful it was not the case. It could have been so much worse.
“The council need to learn lessons from this and be a bit more careful.”
A spokesperson for the European Tour said: “We were very sorry to hear of Ryan’s unfortunate accident.
“A representative of the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, along with a member of our car parking team, visited Ryan and his family at home yesterday to offer support and check on his wellbeing and we all wish him well in his recovery.
“A full investigation into the incident is being carried out in conjunction with the council.”
A spokeswoman for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council added: “A young boy was injured following an incident at The Warren park and ride in Portstewart on Wednesday afternoon. He was treated in hospital and was subsequently released later that evening.”