A FIVE-year-old girl was bruised after the public toilet she sat on collapsed.

Danielle Culshaw, of Wensley Road, Blackburn, was taken to Blackburn Infirmary with a bump on her head and scratches and bruises on her legs

Today, Blackburn with Darwen Council apologised for the "freak" accident.

Mother Janine, 27 described how the base of the public toilet in Blackburn Market cracked into pieces.

She said: "I couldn't believe it, she just sat on it and then the next minute she was on the floor. It's not like she's heavy - she's a little girl. The whole thing just fell in.

"There was water everywhere and we were both crying. It is outrageous, she could have been really hurt if the back had fallen in as well."

Miss Culshaw said there was no toilet attendant to help and if it was not for a few kind old ladies she said she would have been on her own with her three children.

She said: " It was very frightening. I am so angry with the council for putting people at risk. If it had been an elderly person on their own they wouldn't have been able to get up. "

Miss Culshaw said Danielle was so shaken up she couldn't sleep and was sick from the shock.

She missed the first day of term in her second year at St Anne's primary school, Feilden Street, yesterday.

Her mother said she wanted to take action against the council and was talking with her solicitor this week.

Miss Culshaw said her daughter would be scared to use public toilets in the future and it had also put off her two other children, Bethany, eight, and Brandon, one-and-a-half.

She said: "I was on my way to the dentist and had to cancel the appointment because we were all in such a mess in the toilets."

Coun Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration said: "The council apologises for this freak incident and wishes the girl a speedy recovery. This is the first time anything like it has happened as the toilet is of good quality and regularly maintained.

"A member of our direct services team was on site 20 minutes after it was reported and a plumber shortly after that to make the area safe. The mother will also be visited to check how her daughter is and to complete a report form."