A teenage girl may have to have skin grafts to her face after being sprayed with CS gas by police, say her family.

The 14-year-old traveller’s parents say they have been told by doctors she must return to hospital in a few weeks if the blistered burns do not heal and that skin grafts could be a serious possibility.

Maggie Barnsley’s family allege it happened when a police officer “over-reacted” and sprayed her in the face at close range as the teenager was arrested after a disturbance in John Escritt Road, Bingley, where travellers have been camping for four weeks.

Maggie’s younger brother Ian, 13, was also handcuffed and the family claim sprayed with CS gas before being bundled into a police vehicle and taken with his sister to Keighley Police Station on Tuesday. According to the family, trouble started when the teenager’s eight-year-old sister started shouting at a female PCSO who was looking around the encampment.

Their mum Ellen Ward, 40, said: “Ian saw and started shouting at the officer. He had a bar in his hand at the time. The woman called for back-up and another five officers came. By this time other people were angry, including Maggie who was also shouting at the police.”

Miss Ward also complained she was not allowed to see her children until five hours after they arrived at the police station.

She said: “They wouldn’t let me see my kids. It was after ten when they let me see them at last and it was midnight by the time we got out of there. I was worried sick. I knew Maggie was hurt. Her face is a mess. She should have kept her mouth shut but she didn’t deserve this.”

A police spokesman confirmed a PCSO at John Escritt Road had requested assistance from other officers “after being approached by a teenage boy with a crowbar”.

She continued: “Officers made an attempt to arrest the boy for possessing an offensive weapon. As they were attempting to make the arrest, other family members intervened and one officer used his CS spray in order to retain control of the situation. The CS spray was used in the open, so may have affected people nearby.

“A 13-year-old boy was arrested for a racially-aggravated public order offence and also possessing an offensive weapon.

“A 14-year-old girl was arrested for a racially-aggravated public order offence and assaulting a police officer and a PCSO. Both have since been released on police bail pending further enquiries.”

The family has been speaking with a solicitor and say they are now lodging an official complaint.

The police spokesman said: “No formal complaint has been received, but we will be happy to discuss any concerns they may have.”