A GIRL suffered nasty injuries when she fell ten metres from a platform, while taking part in a free fall jump experience at the Cotswold Water Park, a jury was told today.

The company running the event denies failing to make a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and failing to ensure that people were not put at risk, jurors heard.

At Gloucester Crown Court Head 4 Heights Ltd of Swatton Barn, Swindon, is contesting the allegations brought by Cotswold District Council as a result of the girl's fall.

Prosecuting for the council, Bernard Thorogood, told the jury that the girl, who cannot be named because of her age, was put at serious risk.

"She suffered nasty injuries, but much less serious than you would expect, and she has recovered well. But, there was a real risk of a fatality here.

"She was wearing a harness but it was not connected to the equipment line above her as it should have been. When she stepped off the platform she fell and the harness was not attached to the equipment. No risk assessment or system of work should allow this to happen.

"Her mother, a witness in the case, was taking photographs. Taking a record of what was supposed to be a happy day. As the girl stepped off the platform, her mother pressed the shutter."

Mr Thorogood explained that the straps of her harness "should have been running through the sleeves, and then attached to a 'fixer' above, but neither side was. And so they just slipped out when she stepped off and down she fell."

He asked the jury to consider "have Head 4 Heights properly assessed this new equipment as it had only been introduced in May 2015, and this incident was in July? You will also consider the safety arrangements of using the 'fan descenders' (intended to slow the fall of the user) was it good enough?" he asked.

Mr Thorogood said that the instructor, Andrew Russell, "clipped the three loop spreader bar, the 'lifting bridle' the manufacturers call it, by the central loop only, and not the loops that run through the sleeves.

"You can see in one of the photos that she is not connected correctly, but the instructor couldn't see that from his position, and anyway he believed that he had connected her correctly.

"It's normal life that people make mistakes, but you would expect a second or double check, maybe from another person or some sort of test." Mr Thorogood said.

The jury heard that Head 4 Heights has now introduced second checks and a short film was shown to the court demonstrating just that.

Mr Thorogood went on to say that the equipment was not being used as the manufacturers intended, adding: "We say that there is a failure to make a proper risk assessment."

Returning to the girl's fall he said: "She fell unrestrained to the floor. This was a fall, which to put into context, was twice the height of a typical, two storey, modern house.

"If there had been a second check built in to that system of work, she would not have been put at risk. She was. A very grave risk.

"She landed with a loud bang, flat on the floor, unconscious with eyes rolling." Mr Thorogood outlined the girls injuries which included a broken wrist and dislocated elbow, and required "surgical treatment". She was discharged from hospital after two days he said.

Mr Thorogood explained to the jury that the employer, and not the instructor, were liable. "No doubt Andrew Russell feels bad about the error he made, but that there was no system of work is the employer's fault. As is the lack of risk assessment. The scope of mix up between processes is the employer's fault.

"If the instructor fell short of the mark, that's the company falling short of the mark."

The trial continues and is expected to last until the end of next week.