A TODDLER had to undergo surgery after she crushed her finger on a playground gate.

Little Ava May Gaskell, who is two next week, was left with a broken finger after the gate in a park off Wellfield Road, Deane, slammed on her hand.

Town hall chiefs have now apologised to Ava May’s mum Joanna Lewis after it emerged the gate did not have a rubber stopper fixed to it to prevent such incidents.

Doctors said the youngster was lucky not to lose part of her finger in the accident.

Miss Lewis, aged 23, said: “Accidents can always happen, but if that rubber piece had been there the gate would not have caused Ava May such a serious injury.

“The doctors could not believe her injury had been caused by a gate.”

Ava May was injured on June 5 as she played with her mum and brother three-year-old Oliver and sister Isabella Rose, aged nine weeks.

Her mum called 999 as Ava May was bleeding heavily and close to passing out.

She was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital before medics advised Miss Lewis to take her to Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Ava May was put under general anaesthetic to undergo emergency reconstructive surgery on the middle finger of her right hand two days after the accident.

Council bosses said the gate had passed a safety inspection two days before the accident.

Miss Lewis, of Shepley Avenue, Deane, added: "I was so worried the same thing could happen to another child, so I called the council the day after the operation to fix the gate.

“I saw Bolton Council workers inspect the playground the day after I called, but they did not touch the gate and it has still not been fixed.

“It has been weeks now and I have not even had an apology for Ava, which is ridiculous.”

Doctors told Miss Lewis her daughter was lucky to have not lost part of the finger — and at one point thought the tendon damage may have been irreversible.

Ava May was discharged from Manchester Children’s Hospital on the same day as her operation — but she is still in pain from the accident and her mum said she frequently wakes up at night crying in pain.

Miss Lewis said her partner, 25-year-old warehouse worker Michael Gaskell, has had to take time off work to drive the toddler to hospital appointments.

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: “We were extremely sorry to hear of this accident and hope that Miss Lewis’ daughter is recovering well.

“We regularly inspect our gates and fencing of our play areas and carried out the last inspection two days prior to the accident. This inspection found no issues with the gate.

“In early June, we spoke to Miss Lewis by telephone and received her email. However, due to an oversight we did not get back to her.

“We’d like to apologise and we have been in contact with her today.

“We have also ordered a replacement part for the piece which was missing on the day of the accident.”