Visitors to a children’s play area in St Ives have warned of the dangers of an access gate after reports that several children had been injured.

A mother from St Ives said she had to take her son to hospital after he suffered cuts to his face, while other children are said to have been knocked off their feet by the gate, which is located at Burleigh Hill park.

Carly Blake was at the park with her son, Harry, 7, when the gate reportedly snapped back, hitting him in the face and cutting his forehead.

Carly said: "The gate came back so hard that we had to rush him to A&E to have his head injury seen to. It was such a traumatic experience for us all. He screamed like I have never heard him scream before and I ran to him where he was covered in blood running into his eyes and mouth.

"I grabbed him and started to run back home with him in my arms which is a good 10 minute walk. I was trying to stop the bleed. Fortunately, as I was running down the path a very kind man gave me a lift home so that I could get to the hospital quickly.

"My eldest son was left so traumatised by the event he had nightmares after seeing what had happened."

Another resident of St Ives, Laura Wilson, said the same thing happened to her daughter.

Laura said: "My daughter was hit in April. She's four so not a baby and knows how the gate works. She ran through and it bounced back with such a force it hit her face and knocked her off her feet.

"We are very lucky it didn't break the skin. It did stop us going for a long time and now she won't touch the gate, she waits for me to open it."

Carly now wants to warn other parents about the gate, in a hope that she can prevent it happening again.

Carly said: "My son has been left emotionally and physically damaged he will have a huge scar on his head and is now afraid to attend the park again."

A spokesman for St Ives Town Council, which manages the park, said: "We are currently working with the insurers and other parties involved and whilst an investigation into this unfortunate event takes place it would be inappropriate for me or anyone else linked to the council to comment further."