A WINYATES granny has warned parents to be on their guard in certain Redditch play areas after a spring-hinged gate hit her granddaughter in the face, causing severe bruising.

Susan Heeks' granddaughter Kayleigh, six, was opening the gate to the play area near Batchley Pool on Saturday when it swung back and hit her in the face, giving her a black eye.

By Sunday, Kayleigh was in so much pain she had to be taken to hospital to be examined.

Mrs Heeks said: "It seems if you push open these spring-operated gates too far, they simply swing back at you.

"Kayleigh was in extreme pain when it hit her in the face and I'm so concerned this could happen to other young children.

"I spoke to the council and was told there were signs up warning of the gates and this type of gate was to be removed at some point.

"What young kid stops to think what a sign says when they're excited about going to play?

"How many children are going to suffer bruising or worse from these ridiculous gates before the council removes them once and for all?"

A Redditch Council spokesman said: "The gates are checked annually by RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) and they do conform to European standards.

"When they're opened fully, they do swing back but if you don't open them to their widest, they won't.

"As part of an on-going programme of improvements, we'll be looking at different designs for gates and the spring-operated ones will be replaced."