Chester-le-Street girl's injuries from freak paraglider crash 'worse' than first thought

The mother of a 15-year-old girl who was hit by a paraglider in Turkey say her injuries are worse than first thought.

Lyndsey Logan's daughter Lily Nichol was seriously injured when she was hit by a paraglider as she ate a pizza in a restaurant in Oludeniz on Friday 8 November.

Lily, from Chester-le-Street, was with her mum and sister in the holiday resort and were due to fly back to Newcastle that evening.

However, the freak accident left Lily with multiple injuries including a broken spine which she was due to have surgery on on Tuesday (12 November).

The teenager also broke her jaw, ribs, fractured her collarbone and lost her teeth in the crash.

Lyndsey Logan told reporter Katie Cole the medical bill is racking up as she thanked those who have supported her family so far

On Monday night Lily was blue-lighted in an ambulance to a hospital in Antalya from Oludeniz for further treatment where it was discovered that her injuries were more significant.

Speaking to ITV Tyne Tees from Antalya, Lyndsey said: “We’ve now been told she has a punctured lung and they can’t operate on her spine until they have sorted that which could be two to four days away.

"The hospital here is much better and I am feeling better about things. I have decided I want her to have all the treatment here and once they have sorted her lung they can concentrate on her spine and jaw.

"I don’t know how much all this treatment is going to cost. Every time I look at her my heart breaks. She has been in so much pain.”

Lyndsey said she might now have to stay with her daughter in Turkey for up to six weeks while she is operated on and treated.

She said the family is now also working with a lawyer to take legal action against the paraglider who hit Lily.

It was reported he was a Russian national who has now left Turkey.

Lily's family had not taken out holiday insurance and relatives and friends in County Durham started an online fundraising page to help pay for her treatment, which has now exceeded £40,000.

Lyndsey previously said she believed surgery on her daughter's spine would rack up a bill of £45,000 as the family also faces forking out for medical assistance back to the UK.

Jade Storey, Lyndsey's cousin, is organising an event in Ouston, near Chester-le-Streer, on Friday night and has had the support of local businesses.

She said the support had been amazing, adding: “Thank you, we can’t thank people enough, we wouldn’t have got this far without all the support.

"I love Lily more than anything, she has the best sense of humour. We just can’t believe this has happened. I have never heard of anything like this happening before, never mind so close to home.”

Marisa Charlton, a family friend, is helping organise to the fundraising event.

She said: “Everyone is coming together, pulling their weight, everyone is trying to raise the money as fast as we can to get Lily the operation and to get home because the longer she is out there the more money it is.”

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