A 10-year-old girl has had a lucky escape after she was impaled on a fence.

Northumbria Police said the youngster was impaled by two poles as she fell on a fence in Gainsborough Square, Sunderland, on Saturday evening.

A spokeswoman said the girl was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital and then transferred to a hospital in Newcastle following the accident at 7.20pm yesterday.

The spokeswoman added: ''Her injuries are not life-threatening and we understand no major damage has been caused.''

The girl was impaled on the metal fence after falling from a tree she had been climbing, a spokesperson for Tyne and Wear fire service revealed.

She said the child had been impaled by a pole which 'entered through her stomach and exited near her shoulder'.

She added: "Fire service personnel supported the child until the arrival of a doctor who administered pain relief.

"Crews used pedal cutters to cut away the fence around the casualty."

The girl was then carried in an upright position to a waiting ambulance and was taken to hospital.