A distraught mother today criticised police and carnival organisers after her two-year-old daughter was hit in the eye by a broken bottle.
By Tim WalshRemiya Waldron?s eyesight has been left permanently damaged after a flying bottle struck her in the face during a brawl at Leicester?s Caribbean Carnival on Saturday.
Her mother, Rebecca Waldron, claimed alcohol was being sold illegally at the event, on Victoria Park, and that police and organisers had failed to make the carnival safe for families.
The 25-year-old mother-of-three, from Stonesby Avenue, Leicester, said: ?I will not settle until everybody takes responsibility for what has happened to my daughter.
?They always say the carnival is safe but every year it gets worse. I will not settle until everybody tells the truth.
?We did not cause the fight.
?We went there for a family day out that was promised to us and they (the organisers and police) have let us down.
?I think it?s very unfortunate that people need to be violent to each other. But they promised there was no corners cut on security ? but clearly there was.?
Ms Waldron claimed dozens of stalls at the event ? attended by thousands every year ? were selling alcohol without a licence. Much of the alcohol was being served in bottles.
She added: ?I want every mother and every father to be aware. There was never enough protection.
?My family is absolutely devastated. I feel like my heart has been ripped out.?
The Caribbean Carnival organisers refused to comment in response to Ms Waldron?s accusations.
In a statement, Leicestershire Constabulary said: ?The Caribbean Carnival attracted huge crowds in the city centre and the event was good natured and passed off without major incident.
?The only arrest at the event was in relation to this isolated incident.?
A spokeswoman added that the security on Victoria Park was the responsibility of carnival stewards while police officers patrolled the perimeter.
Leicester Royal Infirmary Consultant Ophthalmologist Geoffrey Woodruff said Remiya had had initial surgery to repair wound injuries to the skin around the eye and will have a CT scan to look for foreign bodies in the eye.
He added: ?The eye has developed a cataract as a consequence of the injury and will require cataract surgery. The full extent of the injury to Remiya?s eye and the extent to which her vision in this eye will be affected, is not yet clear.
?However, Remiya?s vision will be permanently affected to at least some degree and she will need to have regular visits to the eye clinic for at least the next four years.?
Leicestershire police on Wednesday launched an appeal for witnesses to the incident, which happened near Victoria Park?s pavilion, at around 8.30pm.
A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm and released on police bail pending further inquiries.
