£10,000 for teacher who saved kids
16/03/2010
A Worcestershire teaching assistant injured while protecting schoolchildren from falling bars from a sports hall climbing frame has received £10,000 in compensation.
Unison said that grandmother Julie Belcher, 49, was working at Hartlebury Church of England Primary, Hartlebury, when the faulty frame fell from the wall.
She grabbed the bar to protect a group of pupils and suffered severe bruising and whiplash injuries, leading her to be off work for seven weeks.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: "This accident must have come as a shock to Julie and if it wasn't for her quick thinking and selflessness some of the children may not have survived.
"Safety must come first in schools and that means making sure equipment is regularly checked and maintained," he said.
Mrs Belcher said: "I had six young children pulling out the equipment with me, who would have died if it had fallen on them.
"The accident has changed my life and you can still see the lump through my clothing: I am desperate to have surgery as soon as possible."
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