Josh Hassan, aged 12, has cheated death by inches after becoming impaled on a fence in front of his mother as he leaned over a spike to retrieve his football.
The spike missed Josh's heart by a mere two inches when he was impaled on the fence near his home in Essex. Josh’s mother, Dawn Hassan raced outside to find her son impaled on the railings when she was alerted by the sound of him screaming. His horrified mother was helped by three neighbours to support his body to stop the sharp fence doing further damage as they waited for the emergency services to arrive and cut him free.
Mrs Hassan has described her son as brave during the incident stating that he did not cry once.
Josh was rushed to hospital with the blade still piercing his chest and was immediately operated on by surgeons. Doctors later told Josh’s family that the spike had missed his heart by less than three inches.
Julie Spalding, who lives close to where the accident happened, said her daughter Amber, who had also been playing outside when Josh was impaled on the fence, dashed into the house calling for help. When she arrived she could see that the spike on the top of the gate had gone into Josh’s chest just under his left nipple and came out the same side.
Since the accident Josh has said that the wound only hurts when he coughs, sneezes or giggles. Josh has decided to keep the spike which went through his chest as a souvenir.
Neighbours say this is the second time a child has been impaled on the same fence. Two years ago a 14-year-old boy got his arm caught on a spike. However, neighbours say that because the houses are private housing nobody has taken responsibility for it.
By Tara Lever
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