A Lea mum has praised the emergency services after an accident left her daughter with a ‘hole in her head’.

Two-year-old Ava was playing in the back garden of their family home on Monday (23 July) afternoon.

Laura Cook said her partner had been cutting the grass and had moved a slide off the grass and onto their patio flags – which are uneven.

Ava went up the slide and as she came down she lacerated her forehead on the corner of one of the paving stones.

Laura said: “It was an extremely deep cut to the extent that you could see her skull.

“It’s all a bit of a blur really as adrenaline kicked in and we phoned an ambulance.”

The North West Air Ambulance Service was scrambled to the scene, off Savick Way near the canal, due to the severity of the injury. Warning, graphic picture below of Ava’s injury.

Laura said: “They said she would need specialised treatment at Alder Hey so they needed to fly her to Liverpool.

“I would like to say how lucky we are in this country to have the NHS, and although people slate them in frustration at times, they do the very best with the resources that they have.

“I want to personally thank everyone from the 999 call handler, the paramedics, air ambulance staff to all staff at Alder Hey for being so brilliant with us. They truly do an amazing job and don’t get enough credit.

“My little girl has been incredibly brave and I’ve been assured that there should be no lasting damage, other than a scar that she will no doubt have for life.”

Read more: Mountain trek completed for Ribbleton girl mauled by dog

Ava was back home on Tuesday (24 July) afternoon after receiving treatment.