A 14-year-old boy from Cheshire nearly lost his leg after a cut from jumping into a lake became infected with necrotising fasciitis, a rare flesh-eating disease. Jacob Butler was swimming in the Blue Lagoon at Colliers Moss Park, near Burtonwood, when his right leg was cut to the bone by a piece of wire. The wound later developed into a life-threatening infection that left a 15-centimetre hole in his leg.
Mum's Warning After Son's Ordeal
Rebecca Butler, 33, is sharing her son's story to warn others about the dangers of open water. She said: "The whole ordeal has been devastating for me as a mum. I honestly thought he was going to die, and to be told he could have if I hadn't brought him to the hospital keeps me up at night." Jacob's leg is now permanently deformed, and he required multiple surgeries, including calf muscle transfer and a skin graft.
Emergency Response and Treatment
On April 30, Jacob phoned his dad, Ashley Butler, 37, after the accident. Paramedics airlifted him to Alder Hey Children's Hospital. A nearby fisherman wrapped his leg in a T-shirt to reduce blood flow, which his mum says saved his life and leg. Jacob underwent emergency surgery the next day but was later readmitted on May 13 when his leg began to smell like "rotting flesh." Doctors diagnosed necrotising fasciitis caused by Aeromonas Hydrophila, a bacterium found in brackish water.
Long Road to Recovery
Rebecca said: "Afterwards the doctor told me the bug had eaten around 15 cm of flesh. It was just his bare bone underneath, with no tissue left at all after they scooped the infection out." Jacob has since had calf muscle transfer surgery and a skin graft from his right thigh. He is recovering at home, and his mum has set up an Instagram page, JacobsWaterWarning, to raise awareness.
A Plea for Water Safety
Jacob urged other children: "Please don't jump into open water as it can be very dangerous, I could have lost my leg or worse." Rebecca added: "Water safety is real and no joke. Our hearts go out to all of the young children who have recently lost their lives in lake tragedies."
