English Heritage reopen Nunney Castle following safety review caused by near tragic accident

By Tim Lethaby

8th Jul 2021 | Local News

Nunney Castle has reopened
Nunney Castle has reopened

Nunney Castle has been reopened by English Heritage today (July 8), following a safety review conducted after a toddler nearly drowned in the moat.

The three-year-old, Quade Ballinger, ran into the moat after mistaking the vegetation on the water as an extension of the green of the bank.

He was under the water, hidden by weeds, for up to two minutes but thankfully there was a nurse in the family's party who was able to resuscitate him.

English Heritage's Alex Sydney said: "I and my colleagues have all been deeply shocked by what happened to Quade.

"We temporarily closed the castle and fully reviewed all aspects of the safety there to ensure that appropriate safety measures are in place to reduce the risk of future accidents. We have also extended this review to all similar sites in our care with open water.

"With historic sites and outdoor environments, it isn't possible to eradicate risk entirely, but it's our responsibility to reduce it where possible and use clear signage to communicate it. We take that very seriously.

"We have been in regular touch with Quade's family, and we understand he is recovering well, our thoughts remain with them all."

Lauren Pinkett, Quade's mother said: "We are really pleased that English Heritage have taken this incident seriously.

"We are also pleased that Nunney Castle has reopened to the public. Thankfully, due to the actions of people who were present on the day and to South Western Ambulance Service, Quade is now almost fully recovered, and so, looking forward, we simply want to highlight the risks of visiting sites with open water in order to try to prevent similar accidents from happening in the future."

     

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