Teen's scalp 'ripped off' in fair ride accident

An 18-year-old woman suffered a potentially "life-changing injury" after her hair reportedly "got caught" in a fair ride at the Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show in England.

Emma Perry, a 51-year-old heart failure nurse who was on the attraction with her then 17-year-old daughter, recounted to People what she witnessed. According to her, the teen allegedly slipped "on the oscillating floor" of the ride, fell backward, and her hair subsequently got "caught in the rollers on the floor."

Perry, who is also a first aider, offered assistance immediately after the incident.

"Her friend came off the ride and said she was bleeding, so I offered my services as a first aider," Perry told the Southern Daily Echo.

The woman also noted that she saw "three-quarters of the girl's scalp had been ripped off" when she got into the incident. 

"First responders were already on the scene, so I cradled the girl's head and kept talking to her," she said.

According to her, first responders immediately arrived, and a section of the ride had to be cut away to extract the woman on a stretcher safely. 

Charles Cole, the owner of the fun fair, told the Southern Daily Echo that the popular walk-on ride had undergone its daily checks and paperwork.

"Approximately 50 people had been on the ride before the 18-year-old, and there were no issues," he said.

"The ride is 20 years old, but it had been tested that day. This was a freak accident. Somehow, the girl's hair got caught, and she could not grab on to the handrails," he added.

Nonetheless, he sympathizes with the victim as well as her parents.

"Safety is our priority, and we sympathise with the girl and her parents," Cole underscored. 

The incident is now under investigation, and the ride is closed. Hampshire police, on the other hand, have confirmed that they are working with the Health and Safety Executive and Cole to "get to the bottom" of what happened and determine the cause of the accident.

In a Facebook post, the South's Premier Steam and Craft Show stated that they are currently cooperating with the authorities and will not provide further comment until more information becomes available. 

"Any comments made at present on social media are NOT the views of the show organisers and we will continue to support all parties involved," they wrote. 

Despite the incident, the attraction is still open to guests.