The Bexleyheath, Welling & Crayford Chronicle October 2008
32 pages
Published by
Stone Leisure
Copyright :
All rights reserved
A Bexleyheath schoolgirl who received
excruciating back and neck injuries after a selfdefence class was held in a classroom without
safety mats has been given compensation.
Tanya Malone was a year 10 student at St
Catherine’s Catholic...
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A Bexleyheath schoolgirl who received
excruciating back and neck injuries after a selfdefence class was held in a classroom without
safety mats has been given compensation.
Tanya Malone was a year 10 student at St
Catherine’s Catholic School for Girls,
Bexleyheath, Kent, when she was injured in a fall
with the class instructor in January 2005.
The incident happened when the female
instructor, working for an independent contractor,
was demonstrating a manoeuvre while holding
Tanya, now 19, in a headlock.
The instructor lost
her footing, falling heavily and sandwiching Tanya
between her weight and the carpeted concrete
floor.
An ambulance had to be called and Tanya was
taken to hospital on a spinal board with her neck
in a brace where she underwent scans.
She
suffered ongoing back problems after the accident
and had to undergo several sessions of osteopathy
to cure muscle and ligament damage, injuries she
only recently overcame fully.
The pain disrupted Tanya’s GCSE studies and she
initially thought the injuries would jeopardise her
life-long ambition of becoming a police officer.
Lancashire-based law firm MWR Solicitors
represented Tanya and successfully negotiated an
out-of-court compensation settlement.
Tanya said: “When it happened I really panicked
as I could not breathe.
I went to the hospital in an
ambulance and the pain was so bad I thought I
might be injured permanently.
It was a
traumatising experience.
“I’ve always dreamed of joining the police and I
thought the injury had ended those chances.
It
took a long while for the doctors to find out
exactly what was causing the pain and I had to
have lots of treatment.
It took six months just to
be able to sit comfortably again.
All the hospital
visits caused a lot of disruption at school and my
GCSE’s went terribly.
“It made me angry because a lesson like that
should never have been allowed to go ahead in a
room without safety mats.
It’s only when I look
back now I realise how dangerous it was.
”
Howard Moorby, a personal injury solicitor said:
“Holding a self-defence class without safety mats
was a clear breach of health and safety that resulted
in Tanya sustaining painful back injuries.
These
injuries caused a significant amount of distress to
Tanya and had a significant impact on her
schooling and personal life.
“The case should serve as a warning to schools
that they must ensure all necessary safety
precautions are taken when organising lessons of
this kind.
”
Tanya has recently been accepted to become a
trainee police officer with the Metropolitan
Police.
“I’m over the moon to be accepted to train as a
police officer,” added Tanya.
“It’s a dream come
true, especially as I thought I might never get the
chance following the incident.
”
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Paddling for Silver!
A group of adventurous youngsters have just
completed an expedition for their Silver Duke
of Edinburgh Award by spending three days
kayaking along the River Medway.
During the expedition, the group spent 18
hours in their boats, covering a total of 38
kilometres of waterway.
The youngsters learnt
how to use locks to navigate the river and also
carried out research into the effect humans
have had on the river over the years through
development, agriculture and pollution.
The group was comprised of six Bexley
students, aged 15-17, from Townley Grammar
School, Cleeve Park School and Chislehurst
and Sidcup Grammar School.
They prepared
for the Medway mission by meeting together
every Thursday evening at Danson Lake over a
period of five months, during which time they
gained canoeing qualifications and learnt the
necessary skills.
The sessions were run in
partnership between Danson Watersports and
Bexley’s Integrated Youth Services.
After completing the expedition, James
Durkin, 15, of Cleeve Park School said: “I
enjoyed the kayaking but most of all I enjoyed
getting to the campsites and relaxing with
friends.
”
Civic offices evacuated
An emergency evacuation was called at the
Bexley council civic offices when a member of
staff smelt smoke.
The Fire & Rescue team
attended and found the smell was caused by a
burnt out ballast unit in a light fitting over the
the servery area in the old restaurant.
Electricians on site made the safe the problem
and all staff returned to their desks a short
while afterwards.
The quick action by the staff member was
commended.
GENEROUS CRAYFORDLocal MP David Evennett, met with founders
and volunteers at the Macmillan Cancer
Support shop in Crayford High Street to discuss
their efforts locally and the services and money
they have helped to raise.
The shop, which opened nineteen years ago has
raised over £1 million for Macmillan cancer
support services, including funding for nurses
at Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary’s
Hospitals.
Mr Evennett congratulated them on
their million-pound milestone and spoke with
customers.
Afterwards, Mr Evennett said “To have raised so
much for vital cancer support services is a real
achievement, and I hope they continue to go
from strength-to-strength.
However, they can
only survive with the help of volunteers.
So if
you can spare some time, please do”.
To find out more about volunteering with
Macmillan Cancer Support, or making
donations, call 01322 555 483 or visit them at 10
Crayford High Street.
Call free 0800 163 186
53 The Oval, Sidcup, Kent, DA15 9ER
5 Lessness Ave.
, Bexleyheath, Kent, DA7 5SH
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Schoolgirl hurt in self-defence class gets pay out
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