Girl’s 7ft hole plunge escape
Reporter: LEWIS JONES
Date published: 22 March 2011
A YOUNG girl escaped with only a scratch after being swallowed up by a 7ft-deep hole as she played out with friends.
The shaft suddenly opened on the playing fields near Netherhey Street, sending Hinaah Suklan, aged seven, tumbling into the dark.
The drama unfolded shortly after 5pm last night on the land that used to house the Pearl Mill.
The youngster was visiting her aunt, Attia Usman, whose house looks on to the land. Attia said: “We saw a lot of children crowding around and could hear them shouting for help.
“I ran out and saw that this hole had appeared. The children said that they thought she was gone.”
The aunt and the mother of the girl then used a mobile phone to shine a light down to the youngster, who was crying in the dark.
Attia said: “We were so shocked and scared, it’s not something you expect to see.
“The hole was so deep but we managed to lower a jumper into it and told her to hold on tight. She grabbed hold of it and a man managed to haul her out.”
Hinaah, who lives in Abbeyhills Road, suffered a scratch to her face.
The fields were today cordoned off as the hole sunk further to roughly 20ft deep.
Gillian Ashworth, (36), said: “There were people all around. The young girl was really shook up.
“My youngest lad is nine and that could have easily been him, children play on there all the time.”
The council have secured the site and are now investigating.
