Wakefield girl injured in zorb accident fundraises for Leeds General Infirmary

An eight-year-old girl who broke 15 bones in her skull in a freak holiday accident has started a fundraiser in aid of the hospital that helped her recovery.

Lily-Mae West, from Wakefield, was seven when she was knocked to the floor by a zorb ball – a large bubble football – in February.

She was standing next to an area where the rest of her family – mum Katie, dad Matthew, and brother Elliot – were taking part in football zorbing at a North Yorkshire holiday park when the accident happened.After hitting her head on what Katie described as a "rock-hard floor", Lily-Mae fractured 15 bones in her skull and was rushed to Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).

She is now well on the road to recovery.

Katie, 32, told the Yorkshire Live website: “Other than her sleeping problems you wouldn't know anything happened to her, she's been so brave and positive.

“She goes to psychology because the accident has been affecting her at bedtime, she has nightmares, but apart from that she is fine.

“She has done amazing; she really is amazing. She had eight weeks off school, which is what she found the hardest because it was a full term off. She was desperate to be back and be with her friends and everything."

Following encouragement from her mum, the plucky youngster has started an online fundraiser to raise money for books and toys to donate to the children's ward at LGI where she stayed while recovering. She has already raised £880.

Lily-Mae also plans to sell homemade lemonade and buns on Friday to raise money.

Katie, a wellbeing officer in a high school, added: "She wanted to buy books for the hospital because, when she was in there, she couldn't see out of her eyes due to her injury and us reading those books to her was the only thing that gave her comfort.

“But in the week she was in there we managed to read all of the books at least five times, so she wants to buy more to give to the children who are in there for a long time.

“While in hospital we got talking to people on the ward whose children were in for months. She wants to make sure they have plenty to read. Katie and Lily-Mae are also hoping to raise money for charity Day One Trauma Support, which helped her recovery.

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