Bristol mum's horror as boy's shoelace gets stuck in Primark escalator
A PREGNANT mum says she was abused by shoppers and ignored by staff as she struggled to free her son when his shoelace became stuck in a store's escalator.
Kirsty Garland, 25, had gone to Primark in Broadmead with son Connor, three, to do some Christmas shopping on Friday.
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Kirsty Garland and son Connor at home after their ordeal
But the day out turned to disaster when Connor's shoelace became caught and chaos ensued.
Miss Garland claims members of the public screamed at her to move her child while staff just carried on. As people pushed past, Connor was unintentionally kicked and his trapped foot trodden on she said.
Miss Garland, who is 14 weeks pregnant, says her partner pushed the emergency stop button but it would not work.
A spokesperson for Primark said they were taking urgent action to investigate the incident and apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Miss Garland, a full-time mum from Stockwood said: "I cannot believe that not one member of public or member of staff helped me. One woman was screaming at me to get my son out of the way. I was desperately trying to pull his shoe off but it was getting tighter as the lace was pulled in.
"People just charged past me and Connor got kicked – accidently I like to think – and his trapped foot was trodden on a few times. He was basically on his back because of the way the escalator was pulling on his lace.
"Eventually I managed to break the lace and free him. It must have lasted between one and two minutes which was a very long time in that situation.
"Connor was very shaken and upset, and I have to admit I did shout back at the woman who screamed at me because I was in a panic.
"I went to see staff to ask why they had not helped and they said it was because it was Christmas so staff were very busy. I considered it to have been an emergency because I was really worried Connor was going to be badly injured.
"I couldn't get the escalator to stop – how can that be right? But I was most upset by the fact that nobody stopped to help. I rang Primark's head office and they told me they wouldn't do anything unless I put it in writing. I think I deserve an apology at least."
A Primark spokesperson said: "Primark is extremely concerned and the company is taking urgent action to investigate this issue. We apologise for any inconvenience this incident has caused."
13 Comments
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by coleen01
Thursday, December 15 2011, 7:04PM
“Hes only three, why was there no alarm button and stop button working, Im his nan and my daughter rang me immediatley after it happened in floods of tears from the fear of what might have happened if she had not snapped his shoe lace and the attitude and response of the staff!!!!”
by bobob3
Tuesday, December 13 2011, 5:10AM
“will teach him to tie his shoelaces correctly”
by jn007
Monday, December 12 2011, 8:49PM
“The design of escalators should have some sort of safety modification done to them, when I was in British Home Stores my lace became trapped in the escalator, I never wear laced shoes when I go to Broadmead, if hey have that danger to them and unable to be modified the use of them should be stopped until there is a new design implemented, may be some one who works on design would like to comment.
John Nash”
by Garlandkitti
Monday, December 12 2011, 6:19PM
“Ard to believe or not it happend and no thanks to those people but thankfully hes ok”
by emily1111
Monday, December 12 2011, 3:15PM
“I find it very hard to believe that no one helped and staff said they were too busy, seems like there is more to this.”
by qunfud
Monday, December 12 2011, 2:51PM
“If the shoelace had been a bit stronger, the poor kid might have lost a leg or even his life.
See http://tinyurl.com/c5p6tx3 and a host of other stories.”
by torysarecool
Monday, December 12 2011, 2:32PM
“Well if the boys shoes were from Primark then maybe it's no great surprise that the tatty lace got jammed in their poorly maintained and tested escalator...”
by qunfud
Monday, December 12 2011, 2:23PM
“@Tracey881
It would hve been even worse if his mother hadn't been able to snap the shoelace. He could have been dragged into the mechanism as happened to a woman in New York.
I wonder if the emergency stop buttons were disabled to stop kids playing with them. We'll find out when the HSE comes down on Primark like the proverbial ton of bricks.”
by Tracey881
Monday, December 12 2011, 2:14PM
“what sort of stupid comment is that what do you expect if you shop in primark! im sure she expected an emergency stop button on the esculator to work which it should? and people to not be so god dam rude and ignorant!! would you be saying that if it was his fingers he had caught in the esculator!!!”
by frank1958
Monday, December 12 2011, 1:19PM
“Well thats Bristol for you.”