A teenage girl was recovering in hospital today after being impaled on railings for more than two hours after a freak accident.

Heather Coles, 14, was speared through the neck by a six-inch spike on railings in Ilkley last night after she fell, sending the spike through her neck, just inches from a main artery.

Firemen, ambulance crews and a specialist first aid team from Airedale Hospital spent two hours at the scene cautiously treating her before she was transferred to hospital with the spike still in her neck.

Firemen travelled with the Ilkley Grammar School pupil to Leeds General Infirmary in an ambulance with a police escort. The vehicle travelled slowly to avoid jarring the spike and the girl was later operated on. She was today described as in a "comfortable" condition.

Firefighters from Ilkley Fire Station were first on the scene. They were backed up by the heavy cutting team from Idle, ambulance crews, police, and an emergency medical team.

Temporary station officer Alex Walton, of Ilkley Fire Station, said: "When we arrived at the scene she was balancing rather precariously on the edge of the railings. We used wooden blocks to stabilise her and a group of firefighters held her still while we assessed the situation.

"The spike had gone through her throat, near to a major artery. We strapped her to the railings and used the heavy cutting gear. Four firefighters went in the ambulance to hold the spike steady until she got to hospital."

The accident happened at 4.30pm last night as the girl slipped and fell while talking to a friend on the other side of the railings between Marsel House and Tesco on Springs Lane after the alarm was raised by pizza shop owner, Danitos Safa, who runs Danitos Pizzas shop on Springs Lane.

Mr Safa said he was alerted by the girl's friends. He said: "Her friends came running in screaming that their friend had slipped and the fence had gone into her chin.

"I went to look and it was pretty nasty. The metal spike had gone right into her chin and jaw. She was bleeding and was spitting blood.

"I phoned the ambulance and they gave me instructions over my mobile phone what to do. I tried to talk to her and calm her down as she was awake but very shocked.

"The paramedics told me to keep her still and I held her up off the floor while the ambulance got there.

"Her friends ran to get her mother who lived nearby. They were all in shock. We just had to watch while the fire fighters tried to free her."

Fire crews from Idle and Keighley used specialist cutting equipment to try and free the girl, who is believed to be a pupil at Ilkley Grammar School.

Inspector David Druquer, of Bingley Police, said: "She was transported to Leeds General Infirmary under police escort with the railing still through her jaw. She was conscious throughout but has very serious injuries."

A West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service spokesman said that a specialist medical team from Airedale Hospital assisted the fire and ambulance services. "We don't get many calls like this," he said. "It has obviously been quite a traumatic experience for the girl but it seems the fire, medical and ambulance crews worked together very well."

Police closed Springs Lane to traffic while the rescue was being carried out.

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