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| Joshua Cunnah, 13 was badly sunburnt at a waterpark near Barcelona on a school trip |
Joshua Cunnah, 13, was hospitalised along with three other pupils on a school trip to Spain after they were burnt at a waterpark
The mum of a teenager who was hospitalised with severe sunburn on a school trip to Spain has said it was his own fault and not his teachers.
Joshua Cunnah had to receive treatment at the burns unit of Royal Manchester Children's hospital with three other pupils after they returned home.
Last week one parent criticised the teachers who took the children on the holiday for not doing enough to make sure the pupils were protected.
But Joshua's mother Wendy, a nursery nurse, backed a claim by James Inman, the headteacher of Buile Hill Visual Arts College in Salford, that the staff had done everything they could to warn children about the dangers of being exposed to the sun. Wendy told the Manchester Evening News : "The children were told numerous times to put suncream on by the teachers.
"My son had Factor 30 which I had packed for him.
"He put it on before he got to the waterpark and again once he got there.
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| Hospital: His mum Wendy says it's not the teachers' fault he got burnt |
"But he was having such a good time on the slides, he then forgot to put it on again.
"He accepts full responsibility.
"He called me from Spain and said he had been burned.
"I told him to shower and use aftersun.
"My son was at the hospital until 10.20pm at night having treatment.
"I believe the teachers could not have done more."
Joshua has remained off school to recover from his burns and will now not go back until after the school holidays.
But Wendy said: "I think it would unfair to stop school trips after four out of 41 children suffered sunburn."
Mr Inman has said the school may have to review ‘the whole issue’ of school trips if children refuse to follow explicit instructions which they have signed up to do.
He said that staff had been upset about the children getting burned.
School governor and Labour councillor, John Warmisham, said: "I don't think we should stop trips abroad.
"They broaden children's education and it is great for young people from Salford to visit France and Spain.
"We have learned a lesson with this trip, but I do think the school did everthing it could.
"Parents has to sign contracts before they went which mentioned children had to apply Factor 50 when told to do so.
"The staff at the school are superb when it comes to safeguarding children."
Mirror
Posted by Adebayo A J