Bosham mother calls for beach barbecue ban after child is burnt

Sarah Shepherd’s daughter Pippa, five, was burnt on East Head beach last Saturday (June 27) after she was scorched on sand still hot from a disposable barbecue.

She suffered severe burns on her feet and was taken to hospital, before being referred to a specialist burns unit.

Sarah, from Bosham, said Pippa was in a stable condition.

“Recovery will take weeks and in the meantime she cannot walk or put any pressure on her feet.”

Now Sarah has called for disposable barbecues to be banned from the beach.

“People should really not be taking disposable barbecues to the beach, the risks involved are just too high.

“Beach goers need to be considerate to others and not risk any damage to the environment or humans.

“As we saw with Pippa, it’s not just a case of allowing a barbecue to cool down but the sand and stones around it can cause damage well after it has been moved or extinguished.

“I would urge people to leave barbecues at home and to be very careful on the beach if you see any barbecues.

“I would like to thank the Harbour Conservancy with all their help up until the point that the ambulance arrived.”

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