Dad calls for e-scooter ban after teen son's horror smash

Shane and Gemma Paddington faced every parent's worst nightmare in August when their 13-year-old son Ollie was involved in an accident near their home.

Ollie had borrowed his older brother's electric scooter to ride to the shop with friends when he collided into a moving car.

Gemma, who lives in Southampton, rushed to the scene to find her youngest unconscious and bleeding profusely from his mouth.

Shane and Gemma Paddington faced every parent's worst nightmare in August (Image: Kennedy News and Media) Fearing her son was dead, the 42-year-old mum-of-two accompanied Ollie to Southampton General Hospital where he was placed into a medically induced coma.

The personal trainer was horrified to learn her teen had suffered multiple broken bones, a blocked artery in his neck and a brain injury - and feared she may have to begin planning her own son's burial if his condition deteriorated.

Ollie had to learn to walk, talk and eat again in the following 11 weeks in hospital - but has since made a miraculous recovery.

Distraught dad Shane granted Ollie permission to use the e-scooter for the five-minute journey to the local shops with his friend - never expecting the devastation that was to come.

Shane, 42, said: "Ollie said he was just going to go to the shop and it's just 100 metres down the road. So I said if you're going to be quick and just go straight there and straight back.

"I absolutely regret letting him borrow it. If I would've said no, the accident wouldn't have happened. I did blame myself at first but as Ollie got better that became easier.

"You just think of an e-scooter like a bike but it's not, it's much more powerful.

Gemma was leading a personal training session when she received a phone call to say Ollie had been involved in an accident.

Frantic, the mum raced to the crash site and followed paramedics to Southampton General Hospital where Ollie was placed into a medically induced coma.

(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

Gemma said: "My whole world just stopped in that moment. I was hysterical, my client had to drive me there.

"I got there and he was lying there with blood coming out of his mouth. I thought he was dead.

"When we got to hospital, they were concerned about his brain and made the decision to put him in an induced coma.

"He'd broken his jaw, fractured his collarbone. I could not stop crying, I was terrified about the future. I didn't know if he'd wake up. I felt like our world came crumbling down.

"I was terrified he was going to die. I didn't know if I'd have to bury him. I was worrying if the worst was going to happen."

Ollie was admitted to the ICU where he was placed on a ventilator after suffering a brain injury and an occlusion of his neck artery.

He is due to be discharged next week after nearly three months in hospital where he had to relearn his basic motor skills again.

Now, Gemma and Shane are urging other families to stop their children from riding e-scooters after nearly losing her own son to the 'deathtraps'.

Gemma said: "He basically had to relearn everything again - how to walk, talk, feed himself, all because of that scooter. I don't think people realise how dangerous they are.

"They reckon he'll make a 95% recovery, he still has a bit of fatigue and forgetting words. That's something we'll have to live with, my son's still alive.

"He tells me he's so grateful to be alive, it's made him appreciate life a lot more. He's an absolute miracle.

"I nearly lost my child because of that e-scooter. 20mph was enough for Oliver to have a significant brain injury and for his life to be put on hold.

"All of his friends have got rid of their e-scooters because of this. They're death traps and they're not toys. Kids should not be on e-scooters, they are deadly."

Shane added: "I'm really against e-scooters now. Don't think it won't happen to you because it can - it's really dangerous. I think they should be banned. Our son could've easily died that day."