A POTHOLE has left a seven-year-old girl with potentially "life-changing" injuries.
The youngster was riding her scooter in Whyteleafe Recreation Ground last Thursday when she hit a pothole and came flying off.
She suffered severe facial injuries including a bent nose and a dislodged tooth.
Mum-of-three Sarah Kirwan said: "As we were walking on the only track that leads directly to the park itself, my daughter hit a pothole and flew off her scooter.
"She took the full impact on her face. I ended up having to take my traumatised child to hospital. Luckily she didn't suffer a broken nose. However, it is now bent but we won't know to what extent until the swelling goes down."
She also suffered a dislodged tooth and cuts to her head. The recreation ground, off Hillbury Road, was given a £100,000 make-over three years ago.
A government grant to Tandridge District Council paid for new swings, slides and a basket swing, replacing play equipment which was almost 30 years old.
But Mrs Kirwan said: "I don't understand why the council didn't invest some money into sorting the potholes inside the park, which are on the only footpath, which has just deteriorated over the years.
"Surely, knowing it's a kids' play area, isn't the most important thing health and safety?"
She said most of the potholes are near metal posts, adding: "So if a child runs, and trips on the potholes, they could end up with extremely series injuries."
Mrs Kirwan is now calling for urgent action. She added: "I hope others will be warned of the dangers of potholes in parks as, due to the council, my daughter now has the possibility of having life-changing facial injuries.
"The taxes we pay cover things such as this. The potholes have been there for years.
"My innocent child went to the park to play during the summer holidays and ended up having her face battered."
Tandridge District Council spokeswoman Giuseppina Valenza said: "We are very sorry to hear about this little girl's accident.
"We take health and safety extremely seriously and will complete a full accident investigation of the incident.
"We will inspect the path concerned and review CCTV footage of the park that covers the footpath and the play area."
