A MUM was left so ‘heartbroken’ she collapsed after her daughter lost six fingers in an accident involving fly-tipped waste.
Kerry Ratcliffe's daughter Bella, then aged eight, suffered the life-changing injuries in April while playing on land behind the family home in Clifton, Salford.
The youngster was 'making a den' when she stepped on a garden table which had been dumped in the area.
Bella lost her fingers when she tried to grab onto a fence to break her fall.
Kerry, 34, said: "Bella was standing on a table, it wobbled, and her fingers came off. It's heartbreaking.
"We heard screaming and a neighbour ran over and then my son pushed me back inside and said ‘she has got no fingers’, then I collapsed.
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"She was in Wythenshawe Hospital. She was in surgery for 12 hours to reattach. It did not go to plan."
Bella, now nine, is "adapting really well" and is returning to school in what Kerry said is a "massive step".
The mum-of-five said she is "still at a loss as to what's happened".
Since the accident, Kerry has moved her family to Winton, also in Salford, and said one day Bella will have a prosthetic hand.
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However, the full-time mum is now calling on the authorities to make sure the land – which neighbours claim is a 'hot spot for fly-tipping' – is secured.
Kerry said: "There's a private entrance with iron gates. They told us that they had cut off the locks. Then it became a hot spot for fly-tipping.
"The gates are always open. The neighbours said they have complained about them for years."
Following the incident, Salford City Council confirmed the land is owned by ForHousing, a housing association.
Nigel Sedman, ForHousing's executive director of homes, said the organisation was "extremely sorry" to hear about what happened to Bella.
Mr Sedman said: "The security fence at the rear of the homes at Kestrel Avenue was put in place several years ago after local neighbours raised concerns about anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping in the area.
"In April, a neighbour reported that this incident had taken place, and we immediately visited the site to make it safe. We will continue to offer support and work with the local community."
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