A HAMPSHIRE activity centre has been ordered to pay £230,000 after an 11-year-old girl was left hanging by the neck during from a rope walk. 

As previously reported, YMCA Fairthorne Manor, near Botley, was convicted of failing to ensure the safety of the girl, believed to have been a pupil of Sherborne House School, near Chandler’s Ford, after the incident on a rope bridge in July 2012.

The organisation had denied two charges brought by Winchester City Council. Now, a judge at Portsmouth Crown Court has fined Fairthorne Manor £30,000, and ordered it to pay £200,000.

Council chief executive Laura Taylor said: “This fine represents the seriousness with which the court takes incidents such as this, and although the city council works in partnership to advise and support educational establishments, when incidents like this happen, we do not hesitate in taking a prosecution when such matters demand it.” 

When asked why the prosecution had taken so long, she said: “I think we cannot underestimate the amount of investigation and the detailed work needed to bring forward a successful prosecution such as this.”

The girl was among a group of 40 on a trip to celebrate the end of the school year. While crossing the Burma Bridge – a rope walk across a lake – she fell and became tangled in the ropes. She was left dangling by her neck and lost consciousness.

She had to be cut free and dropped into the water below. The girl was then flown to Southampton General Hospital.

A YMCA spokesman said: “We are pleased to note that when passing sentence the judge acknowledged the YMCA’s good safety record and that the organisation is a conscientious employee and member of the community.

“We also welcomed his remarks regarding the importance of encouraging children to be adventurous. We believe these views are reflected in his decision to impose a £30,000 fine, which is significantly at the lower end of the scale suggested by the prosecution.

“As a charity, every penny counts and we would like to make clear the £200,000 costs awarded are covered by our insurance company and will not impact on the day-to-day running of the YMCA Fairthorne Group.”