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A young Raploch girl became ill after falling through a hole in a wall into a burn.
The Our Lady’s Primary pupil had been on a shopping trip with her mum and aunt at the time of the incident on Saturday, September 8.
Her mum Leanne Crossley said: “We are from Raploch and we were going to Home
Bargains on the Glasgow Road. We got off of the bus and my daughter jumped through the hole in the wall to go to the swing park. I never even saw her but she ended up in what we thought was a ditch.
“Her aunt jumped in after her to try and help but luckily the man from the Morrisons petrol station saw what happened and he was able to help.”
Petrol station manager Maciej Karas, 35, pulled Darcey and her aunt from the water.
He said: “I shouldn’t even have been there. I was finished my shift and one of our customers was not well so I waited to see if he was OK and then I walked him home.
“I saw the girl and her mum and aunty coming off of the bus. She fell down and I saw her aunty jumping in after her. The water was covered in green stuff and she ran right through it.
“I ran to help them and took them back to the garage and one of our staff went to the shop to get some dry clothes. We got her some pyjamas and she had the green stuff all through her hair.”
A passing bus driver also came to their aid, offering his jacket to keep her warm.
Later that evening Darcey became sick and developed a rash and her mum took her to Forth Valley Royal Hospital for a check up.
Leanne added: “I think she might have swallowed some of the water and there’s no knowing what was in it.
“They gave her a cream for the rash and told us just to keep an eye on her. She has perked up a bit since.”
Both Leanne and Maciej say the broken wall was previously reported to Stirling Council and council workers arrived on the scene shortly after to fence off the section of wall.
Leanne added: “It could have been a terrible tragedy.
“I don’t know what would have happened if Maciej hadn’t come to help.”
Stirling Council confirmed that it erected the metal barrier around the broken wall following the incident. A spokesman added: “We are arranging for that section of the damaged wall to be rebuilt and hope that the girl has