Breaks to both sides of pelvis after being struck, buried by log

SERIOUSLY INJURED: Christchurch girl Juliana Marston is in Gisborne Hospital after she was seriously hurt yesterday when a forestry log she was playing on with two other children rolled on top of her along Centennial Marine Drive. She was partially buried in the sand and had to be dug out by family members. Picture by Paul Rickard

A girl was admitted to Gisborne Hospital yesterday with serious pelvic injuries after she was struck by a log and partially buried in the sand at a spot along Centennial Marine Drive.

The accident happened at around 4.30pm about a kilometre along the beach west of Stanley Road.

Juliana Marston, aged 10, was walking along the beach with other family members when she and two other children in the group ran ahead to jump on a large log they could see in the shallows.

“The three children were on it when the log rolled with an incoming wave,” said Juliana’s father, Clint Marston.

“Two of the children managed to jump off but Juliana was caught and pinned by the log by her hips and legs.”

Mr Marston and other family members rushed over to help her.

“Juliana had been partially buried in the sand as she was pinned by the log, and we had to dig her out,” he said.

“We called for an ambulance but decided that once we had freed my daughter it would be quicker to transport her to hospital ourselves in our vehicle.”

She remains in Gisborne Hospital today in what her father said was a stable condition.

“Juliana has sustained what the doctors say is a very rare injury, with breaks to both sides of her pelvis. Fortunately she is not in a lot of pain.”

The Marston family, who live in Christchurch, have been holidaying in Gisborne.

“This has been a very distressing incident for the whole family . . . and disappointing that huge logs like this one should wash on to beaches and be left there.”

Mr Marston said the log would have weighed a couple of tonnes at least, measured about 25 feet in length and was 70 to 80 centimetres across.

“It was definitely a forestry log, not just another piece of driftwood.

While Mr Marston acknowledged it was an accident, he said “there is the feeling that these huge, smooth, round logs have no place on the beach. If there was anything that could be done to prevent this happening to others, it should be done now”.

Mr Marston said the plan was for Juliana to be taken back to Christchurch on a medical flight in the next few days.

Juliana’s family will be returning home with her.

The incident had similarities to the incident that resulted in the death of 11-year-old Oliver Shone in January.

Oliver, on holiday from Wellington, had been playing on a log in the shallows at Waikanae Beach when he fell off and was fatally struck by the log after the city beaches were deluged by woody debris in the wake of ex-tropical Cyclone Hale.

Following yesterday’s incident, Gisborne District Council chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann urged people to exercise extreme care around city beaches.

“Our thoughts are with the young girl, her family and all who were there when the incident happened yesterday.

“We have signage in place warning of the dangers, and we want to reiterate that the wood and logs on the beaches are an extreme risk for everyone.

“Please be especially careful of logs close to the water line as waves can make them mobile and they are very heavy.

“These beaches were cleaned by forestry companies last month, however, woody debris continues to wash up.

“It is unsafe for children, animals and adults to climb on or be near the logs — especially when they are by the water line.

“Going forward, we ask people to please exercise extreme care around our beaches — in particular at high tide when the water meets the woody debris.

“Efforts to clean up the beaches again are planned after the winter period has passed.

”This would mean beaches remain a risk to all users until then

“This incident has been shared with Eastland Wood Council.”