SWNS
Doctors have apologised to parents after they plastered the wrong leg of their toddler daughter.
Lucy Rylatt, aged 23 months, injured herself on a trampoline while on a family holiday in July.
Her mum and dad, Samantha and Dave Rylatt, noticed she was in pain and got her checked out at Minehead Hospital in Somerset.
Lucy couldn't be x-rayed because it was out of hours but it was established there was a suspected fracture in her RIGHT leg, however when her parents took her to Musgrove, Park Hospital in Taunton, doctors did another x-ray and ruled it was her LEFT leg – then plastered it.
However, soon afterwards, doctors realised there was NO fracture.
"We took Lucy to Musgrove and they suspected a fracture in Lucy's left leg and put it in plaster," said Dave.
"When we went back a doctor told us she was fine."
The error meant Lucy was walking on a broken leg for five days, before the worried parents noticed something wasn't right and decided to check things out further.
Dave added: "Lucy was hobbling around and we noticed she was uncomfortable. Samantha contacted Minehead Hospital and we took her straight there. An x-ray showed it was actually her right leg that was fractured and they plastered it.
"We're not after compensation because that's taking money out of our own pockets and I don't believe in that."
A spokesman for Musgrove said: "With an un-witnessed accident and no obvious signs of injury, such as swelling, bruising or deformity, it can sometimes be difficult to identify the site of injury in very young children.
"To protect children from the risk of radiation we don't request x-rays unless there are sufficient concerns. Unfortunately, having examined Lucy, the doctor felt it was the left leg that was injured. We're very sorry."