Lanark mum thought son was dead in park accident

The colossal wave of relief that surged over her when she realised that 15-month-old Archie was still alive soon gave way to sheer anger at those who she now holds responsible for the incident in Kildare Park.

The very next day she was at South Lanarkshire Council’s Lanark headquarters in South Vennel, demanding to know why the pathway in the park was in such a poor condition that the pram she was pushing wee Archie in overturned, tossing the child on to the ground and injuring him.

The resident of nearby Braedale Road told the Gazette: “I was pushing Archie in his pram to the nursery at Lanark Primary School to pick up my older child when, due to the totally disgraceful condition of the surface, the pram overturned.

“There was nothing I could do to stop it. For a few seconds I thought I’d lost him; he just lay there, not making a sound, not crying.

“I thought the worst. Any mum would.

“Then he started crying and I knew he was alive but I could see he’d injured his mouth.”

She got Archie to Wishaw General Hospital where he was treated for his injuries; he could lose some teeth.

Now Cheryl wants an explanation why the main pathway to the nursery school is still in such a bad condition.

This is despite council promises last year that repairs would be carried out to paths in Kildare Park after a mass public protest by residents over their rough and broken surfaces and flooding.

South Lanarkshire Council said this week it would check out the path.

For the full story, pick up a copy of this week’s Carluke and Lanark Gazette.