A five-year-old boy lost part of his finger after his hand was skated over at an ice rink in Nottingham.

He had been skating at Winter Wonderland on Tuesday evening with the help of a penguin-shaped ice skating aid.

The child fell off the penguin and his hand was skated over, according to local press.

The boy’s family, who wish to remain anonymous, told Nottinghamshire Live they believe the skating aids for children should have seatbelts to stop similar accidents from happening.

“It was such a horrible night,” the boy’s father, 24, told the website. “My son was in such pain, he was screaming. He fell off the penguin.

“I want there to be seatbelts on the penguins to stop kids falling off them so this never happens again.

“I did not think it was safe.”

He warned: “There were around 100 people on the ice that night and there could be accidents from other children falling.”

The child now needs surgery on his finger and received attention from first aiders at the scene before being taken to hospital.

The family said they have been left “traumatised” and fear Christmas has been “ruined”.

Mellors Group, who operates Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland, said the accident was rare and that safety is important to the organisation.

Edward Mellors, a director of Mellors Group, told Nottinghamshire Live the person in charge of the rink had fifteen years’ experience of operating ice rinks. Mr Mellors said the staff member “has never come across an accident of this nature before”.

He added: “Safety is really important to us and we do everything we can to make Winter Wonderland, including the ice rink, as safe as possible for everyone to enjoy.

“We follow the best practice guidelines for the operation of outdoor rinks.

“This was an unfortunate and very unusual accident and we are really sorry that the boy was hurt.”

He continued: “There are always marshals on the ice and as soon as the accident happened, two trained first aiders were immediately with the boy and an ambulance was called.

“The penguins are stable and designed to be skating aids for children to use as well as adults who can push young children around the rink whilst at the same time giving the children the opportunity to experience what it is like to skate as they are wearing skates too which are on the ice.

“We would like to wish him a speedy recovery.”

Sky News has approached Mellors Group for comment.

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