A COUNCIL has been found guilty of breaching health and safety rules after a six-year-old girl suffered a serious head injury in an incident involving a defective bollard.

The youngster was climbing on the 3ft bollard when it collapsed, causing her to hit her head.

As previously reported, she suffered a fractured skull and spent months in hospital undergoing surgery.

But, according to reports, a court heard how road chiefs at Hampshire County Council had been warned about the safety of the bollard, in Lymington, less than a fortnight before the incident.

Inspectors had checked the bollard, which had been secured with two plastic ties, and had been deemed it safe, the court was told.

On Friday, at Bournemouth Crown Court, a jury found the council guilty of breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

It comes after the council were charged with a breach of the act, in a prosecution brought forward by the Health and Safety Executive.

As previously reported in the Echo, the incident took place on Quay Hill, Lymington, on December 28, 2015.

But, according to the reports, the court was told how the council had been contacted with concerns about the bollard on December 15.

According to reports, the council inspected it on December 21, but an inspector did not find it in need of urgent repair.

The council will now be sentence on Thursday, July 18.

A HCC spokesperson said: “We note the outcome of the trial and are considering the council’s options.”