'She had blood streaming from her face:' Woman who came to rescue of girl injured in Winter Garden tree fall blasts council

A woman who came to the rescue of a teenager who was hit by a falling tree in Sheffield’s Winter Garden has told how the victim was left with blood streaming down her face.
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Jodie Myles, who runs a pop up card shop inside the city centre visitor attraction, came to the rescue when the 19-year-old girl was hit by a falling banana tree yesterday morning.

Jodie, who runs Quote Queen Cards, said the girl, known only as Laura, was left shaking and with blood streaming from her nose after being hit by the tree which suddenly collapsed.

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Young girl injured by falling banana tree inside Sheffield Winter Gardens
Laura, centre is tended to after being hit by a falling tree in the Winter Garden. (Photo: Jodie Myles)Laura, centre is tended to after being hit by a falling tree in the Winter Garden. (Photo: Jodie Myles)
Laura, centre is tended to after being hit by a falling tree in the Winter Garden. (Photo: Jodie Myles)
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And she says staff didn’t come to the aid of the teen who has also been left with bruising to her legs and hips.

She said: “I lifted the tree off poor Laura's legs - not one ambassador helped.

“I administered first aid until paramedics came – Laura had blood streaming from her nose and she was shaking.

“The ambassador wanted to move her to a chair, but I had already found she had a history of fainting and it is not good practice to move a person in trauma because of potential injuries.

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“Plus if she is prone to fainting, she could have fallen to the flag floor in the Winter Gardens and caused herself more harm.

“One member of staff recommended she go to A&E with her friend in a taxi but I would not let that happen. I am not impressed at all with the staff.”

Jodie said she came to the rescue yesterday morning after the tree fell on the teen as she walked through the Surrey Street indoor garden.

“I was able to get to her so fast as the tree fell right in front of our shop,” she said.

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“Laura is a lovely girl and sent me such a sweet message thanking me for helping her. I joked with her that it was the best ‘face palm’ I had ever seen.

“She was dreadfully shaken by it.”

Jodie also says the trees are not planted deeply enough in the soil.

A Sheffield City Council spokesman has apologised for the incident and said: “We are very sorry to hear that a young woman was slightly injured and treated by paramedics at the scene as a result of a branch falling from a banana tree in the Winter Garden.

“A full investigation is taking place and the rest of the banana tree has been removed.

“An inspection of other plants has also taken place.

“This is the first time since the Garden opened in 2003 that a plant has fallen in this way and all measures have been taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”