A 14-year-old girl sustained three fractured vertebrae after falling through the glass rooftop of a disused building in Newcastle city centre while taking part in a social media trend.
The teenager was filming herself getting into a disused building, a trend that involves people posting videos of themselves entering such sites online. She was treated at hospital following the incident in August and later discharged to recover at home.
Second fall in the city centre
On Sunday night, a 13-year-old boy fell through a glass roof at a hotel, also in the city centre, and dropped five storeys. He was rescued by emergency services and managed to avoid sustaining any serious injuries.
Northumbria Police has received several reports of young people getting into disused buildings while filming themselves and posting on social media channels. Footage has been uploaded of youngsters in buildings across the region, including former shops, factories, schools, hotels and churches.
Mother's warning
The mother of the 14-year-old girl, who is remaining anonymous to protect her daughter's identity, said youngsters are putting their lives and the lives of others at risk. She said: "Although I knew my daughter was going into Newcastle city centre that day, I wasn't aware that she was planning on going into a building she wasn't meant to be in. She's ended up with three fractured vertebrae and had to go undergo surgery on her hand too. She also had a bang to her head when she fell.
"My advice to any young person thinking of doing this kind of thing is don't because it is extremely dangerous and worst scenario you could be killed. Young people might think it's a bit of harmless fun for views and likes on social media but that is not the case.
"Please remember that if you do go into these buildings then it's likely that emergency services personnel could end up searching for you, so those officers could potentially be put in danger too."
Police response and half-term plea
Several other incidents have been reported to police in recent weeks, including children being stuck on roofs. Officers have attended a number of incidents and on some occasions issued dispersal orders, excluding youngsters from the areas for a defined period.
Neighbourhood Inspector Karen Madge has urged parents to make young people aware of the dangers they are putting themselves in ahead of the half-term school break. She said: "Teenagers may not realise it, but entering these kinds of buildings can have life-changing consequences.
"We have already had one teenage girl sustain serious back injuries following a fall at a building in Newcastle city centre back in August. We cannot emphasise enough how dangerous this type of behaviour is and there is a real concern that someone could be killed.
"Every time a person goes into a disused building, they are putting themselves and those around them in harm's way. Added to that is the fact that it is illegal to trespass on private property and if you do so you could find yourself being prosecuted.
"Our message to parents and carers is if you do have teenagers or young people you are responsible for, please talk to them about where they're going, what they're doing and outline the risks involved. We don't want to stop children enjoying themselves, but they should be doing so in a safe environment.
"Make the right choice and keep yourself safe."
