Three children have been taken to hospital after a bouncy castle situated within the grounds of a North Yorkshire hotel broke loose from its tether and blew into a telegraph pole.
The incident, which occurred last month, has emphasised for many business owners just how important it is for them to have either public liability insurance or event insurance in place when inviting members of the public onto the premises.
The inflatable castle was tethered within the grounds of the White House Hotel in Whitby when it was swept up by a gust of wind and became wrapped around a telegraph pole. The children playing on the equipment were thrown off it, causing three of them to sustain injuries.
A 7-year-old boy with broken bones was airlifted to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough for emergency surgery, whilst a 9-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl were taken to Scarborough District Hospital with a broken leg and a concussion respectively.
The children are recovering well and the bouncy castle has been recovered by the local fire service, but environmental health officers are now investigating why the equipment was able to break loose from its tether. If the hotel is found to be liable for the incident in any way, it may have to rely on its professional insurance to cover any compensation payments or damage costs.