A FURIOUS mother-of-three fears a playground's rock sculptures are an accident waiting to happen.

Atherton resident Zita Bickerton's claim comes after her five-year-old son Abraham cut his head open after falling against one of six boulders erected at a playground behind Lovers Lane in a £5,000 re-vamp.

Mrs Bickerton, 38, said: "As soon as they were put up, I said that a child would be hurt but I did not think it would be my child. My son is scarred for life and had his forehead glued. They are atrocious. Even toddlers climb all over them. They are an accident waiting to happen.

"My child was not seriously hurt but another child could be."

Atherton and Hindsford twin ward risk management group - a local safety group - supplied the money to revamp the Cromer Drive site.

The development features six granite rock sculptures at either end of the playground, which includes swings and slides.

Wigan council says residents were consulted before work started.

But Mrs Bickerton said: "It is like Stonehenge has come to Atherton, just a lot more dangerous. I was never consulted."

Abraham, a pupil at St Richards Primary School, in Flapper Fold Lane, tripped and fell against one of the rocks in the playground just yards from his home and was taken to hospital by his worried mother.

Mrs Bickerton said: "They are very big - not smoothed over boulders - and are sharp."

A Wigan council spokesman said: "These boulders were placed in the park after full consultation with the local community, our risk management team and ward councillors.

"They provide an excellent visual stimulus for creative play among children. Of course we are sorry about the accident to Abraham. We did make our play area as safe as possible but it is manifestly impossible to create any playground in which an accident could never occur. The boulders are in fact no harder than than any other piece of fixed play equipment."