A Workington dad, whose son was flown to hospital after falling off his bike near a playground, is appealing for a fence to be extended to prevent accidents.

Andrew Partridge, eight, of Walls Road, was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle when he passed out after hitting his head.

He fell off his bike after hitting a hole in the grass and falling over a tree stump near the Salterbeck playground on Saturday afternoon.

His dad Andrew, 29, a self-employed taxi driver, wants a fence to be put up where the accident happened to prevent other incidents.

The father-of-four said: "Andrew was coming down the hill and fell just behind the slide on the grass bank.

"There's a fence around the playground but there's a gap just behind the slide.

"If that gap wasn't there he wouldn't have even tried to get through. 

"Andrew doesn't remember the accident, but he's in shock.

"This will affect him, he could be scared to go out on his bike by himself. 

"I keep thinking that I took the kids camping and we were back on Friday - if we had stayed a day longer it wouldn't have happened."

Andrew returned home on Wednesday after a four-day hospital stay.

Mr Partridge said: "He is a lively little boy, he has a smile for everyone. He's been sleeping for four days and he is only 55 per cent mobile at the moment due to his head injury."

He is due to have X-rays next week, once the swelling reduces, to investigate a possible eye socket fracture and misaligned jaw. 

Andrew's brother Joshua, nine, was with him at the time of the accident and managed to raise the alarm immediately.

He stopped a dog-walker who put Andrew in the recovery position and called the ambulance.

Mr Partridge said: "I would like to thank that lady for not ignoring Joshua and for staying with Andrew to reassure him until the paramedics came.

"I was at work and I went there straight away. I didn't know what to expect until I saw him lying on the pavement covered in blood.

"He was still unconscious, I panicked. 

"My partner Terri-Ann Leece was next to him and she flew to Newcastle with him and I drove. I was scared and my son Joshua was crying, he was in shock, he kept asking if Andrew would be okay."

Andrew, who attends Victoria Junior School, has also two sisters, Lesley, 10, and Alexa, four.

He plays football for Senhouse Street Stars.

The Salterbeck playground, off Garnett Crescent, is owned and operated by Impact Housing Association.