TEACHERS failed to contact the mother of an eight-year-old boy who was in a playground accident even though she was helping out in another part of the school.

Now Mrs Sandra Eden and her husband Keith, are calling for a policy review because they say their son Daryl spent five hours in pain following the accident at Holy Trinity school, Darwen.

Daryl was in the school yard between 10.30am and 10.45am when he fell from a two foot six inch high platform onto his face.

He burst his nose, lips and caused bruising to his forehead during the accident and was later seen by his GP, dentist and accident and emergency staff at Blackburn Royal Infirmary for treatment to his injuries.

Now Keith and Sandra want the wall removed for the safety of the other children at the school and a review of procedure following the confusion after Daryl's accident.

Mrs Eden is a volunteer helper and was in another classroom when Daryl was hurt and didn't leave the building until noon. But no attempt was made to contact her at the time. Shortly before lunch time when Daryl's bruises became apparent a member of staff telephoned Daryl's great-grandmother to let her know that he was unwell as his parents are not on the telephone.

But only when Mrs Eden arrived at school at 3.30pm to collect Daryl did she discover what had happened even though she lives less than quarter a mile from the school.

Mr Eden said: "He was at school for five hours after the accident and must have been in quite some pain with no professional medical attention.

"Children are in the charge of the school while they are there they should be given the same attention they would receive at home." Mr David Robinson, headteacher of Holy Trinity, said Daryl was seen by two members of staff immediately following the accident, one of whom was a trained first aider and given treatment.

"We are reviewing all situations in terms of making sure all staff are aware who is in school. The problem arose because Mrs Eden was in another part of the building and Daryl's teacher was not aware she was in school."

Mr Robinson added that advice was being sought from Lancashire property services department regarding the wall which may be removed.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.