A SCHOOL head and her assistant have been disciplined after a disabled child was seriously injured in a fall from her wheelchair.

Seven-year-old Lucy Branton, who suffers from cerebral palsy and epilepsy, suffered a broken nose, black eyes, displaced teeth and lasting trauma.

Nine months after the incident, the youngster is still so distressed she cannot use her shower room at home because it reminds her of what happened.

Lucy was hurt before a hydrotherapy session, after an assistant headteacher at Hob Moor Oaks school, in Acomb, York, tried to remove her from the wheelchair without the help of a second member of staff.

After a health and safety investigation by City of York Council, disciplinary action has been taken against headteacher Sue Williams, and her assistant, Helene Podmore.

Lucy's mother, Leeann, was due to be helping on the day of the accident, but Lucy fell while Ms Podmore was preparing her to be removed from the wheelchair.

She told investigators Lucyhad "pushed forward", knocking her off balance, but there were conflicting reports about whether she would have been able to do that.

Lucy fell to the floor, severely injuring her face, moments before Leeann arrived.

Leeann said: "She's lucky she did not fracture her skull. If it had been a more vulnerable child, it could have killed them. You could not see her for blood."

Lucy's father, Leigh, said: "What they did to Lucy was appalling and should never have happened.

"These are the most vulnerable children in society. You expect the one place in society where your child will be safe is in school, but it seems that's not the case.

"Staff at the school are excellent. It's not them we have a grievance with, it's the management."

The investigation found there was no health and safety representative in place, care plans had not been updated and the school failed to meet three out of five key risk assessment categories.

York's director of children's services, Patrick Scott, said: "We do very much regret that this accident occurred and I personally wish Lucy all the best in the future."