By Martin Graham
FIFE police have appealed for adults and children to take care when exploring the county following a spate of accidents.
On Sunday afternoon, an 11-year-old girl was airlifted to hospital after she suffered a head injury in a bad fall at the chain walk near Kincraig Point.
Lifeboats from Leven, Anstruther and St Andrews attended the scene, and a helicopter from Prestwick was also scrambled to the emergency.
The girl, who was on holiday with her parents, had slipped and injured herself on the rocks and her father was left stranded.
She suffered a fractured wrist and a gash to the head, and was airlifted by a Royal Navy helicopter to the Royal Hospital for Sick Kids in Edinburgh.
The walk covers a series of cliffs and caves along the Fife coastline, with chains attached to the cliffs to help visitors clamber across the rocks.
Five other people had to be helped to safety at the same time because they had inappropriate footwear for climbing the chain walk.
The previous day, a 14-year-old boy was injured when he fell into Prestonhill Quarry in Inverkeithing.
He had been climbing a rock face at the quarry when he slipped.
He was rushed to Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline where he was detained overnight and received treatment for bruising.
On July 23, a 16-year-old boy was seriously injured in a fall at the disused Goat Quarry near Aberdour.
And in another incident on July 6, a nine-year-old girl was airlifted to hospital after falling down a 60 foot embankment at Ravenscraig Castle in Kirkcaldy.
A spokesman for Forth Coastguard said: “The school holiday’s in Scotland have started and we would like to advise the public of making sure that you take care, heed warning signs and ensure that you take adequate precautions for the activity that you are undertaking.”
A Police spokesperson added “The protection of life is a top priority for police officers across the country.
“I would appeal to those who are going walking in exposed areas to do so with the utmost safety in mind.
“Make sure that you are properly dressed for the circumstances and that you use appropriate equipment.
“Avoid spur of the moment decisions, such as clambering around quarry cliff faces, where you are likely to fall and suffer serious injury.
“If you want to enjoy rock climbing, then please find a recognised local club where you can enjoy the outdoors safely with the proper safety equipment.”
By MARTIN GRAHAM
FIFE police have appealed for adults and children to take care when exploring the county following a spate of accidents.
On Sunday afternoon, an 11-year-old girl had to be airlifted to hospital after she suffered a head injury in a bad fall at the chain walk near Kincraig Point.
Lifeboats from Leven, Anstruther and St.Andrews attended the scene, and a helicopter from Prestwick was also scrambled to the emergency.
The girl, who was on holiday with her parents, had slipped and injured herself on the rocks and her father was left stranded.
She suffered a fractured wrist and a gash to the head, and was airlifted by a Royal Navy helicopter to the Royal Hospital for Sick Kids in Edinburgh.
The walk covers a series of cliffs and caves along the Fife coastline, with chains attached to the cliffs to help visitors clamber across the rocks.
Five other people had to be helped to safety at the same time because they had inappropriate footwear for climbing the chain walk.
The previous day, a 14-year-old boy was injured when he fell into Prestonhill Quarry in Inverkeithing.
He had been climbing a rock face at the quarry when he slipped.
He was rushed to Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline where he was detained overnight and received treatment for bruising.
On July 23, a 16-year-old boy was seriously injured in a fall at the disused Goat Quarry near Aberdour.
And in another incident on July 6, a nine-year-old girl was airlifted to hospital after falling down a 60 foot embankment at Ravenscraig Castle in Kirkcaldy.
A spokesman for Forth Coastguard said: “The school holiday’s in Scotland have started and we would like to advise the public of making sure that you take care, heed warning signs and ensure that you take adequate precautions for the activity that you are undertaking.”
A Police spokesperson added “The protection of life is a top priority for police officers across the country.
“I would appeal to those who are going walking in exposed areas to do so with the utmost safety in mind.
“Make sure that you are properly dressed for the circumstances and that you use appropriate equipment.
“Avoid spur of the moment decisions, such as clambering around quarry cliff faces, where you are likely to fall and suffer serious injury.
“If you want to enjoy rock climbing, then please find a recognised local club where you can enjoy the outdoors safely with the proper safety equipment.”
