Go-kart safety call after crash

Sarah Smullen said she did not recognise her daughter in casualty

A mother has called for improved safety on go-karts after her 15-year-old daughter was seriously injured on a school trip at a park in Gwynedd.

Natasha Smullen from Benllech on Anglesey suffered a perforated small intestine when her kart crashed at Glasfryn Parc near Pwllheli.

The park owners said they had an excellent safety record and they were fully investigating the incident.

Education officials on Anglesey said their enquiries were ongoing.

Natasha Smullen spent a total of 12 days in hospital - including 24 hours in intensive care.

'Very responsible'

"We had a phone saying Natasha had been in an accident and had sprained her ankle and maybe broken her nose," said Ms Smullen.

"But when we got to casualty Tash was vomiting blood and her face was totally unrecognisable because of the swelling. It was such a shock," said Ms Smullen.

By the next day Natasha's condition had worsened, said her mother, and during surgery it was found she had perforated her small intestine.

I feel ok, but if I try and do anything my belly starts to hurt Natasha Smullen

Now Natasha is recovering Ms Smullen is anxious lessons are learnt.

"The surgeon told us that Natasha would not have suffered the injuries she did if belts had been fitted on the go-karts, so for me that means it was a preventable accident," said Ms Smullen.

Jonathan Williams-Ellis, the owner of Glasfryn Parc said the company was investigating how the accident happened.

"Our concerns are with the girl and her family," he said.

"We are a very responsible operation that has run for 12 years with an excellent safety record and we take our responsibilities very seriously.

"If anything can be learnt from this and improved on in the future we will do that."

Mr Williams-Ellis added there were no belts on the go-karts because evidence showed there was more risk of injury with a belt because drivers would not be ejected if a kart over-turned.

Natasha is having a quiet summer break.

"I feel ok, but if I try and do anything my belly starts to hurt, it means I'm not doing much really, but my friends are coming to see me," she said.

Anglesey council's director of education and leisure, Richard Parry Jones said an inquiry into the incident had begun, but because people were on holiday there would be no conclusion before the end of August.