British teen hit by paraglider in Turkey in serious condition
Meggan Nichol
Lily Nichol was injured when a paraglider collided with her while she was eating a meal in Turkey
A British teenager has been left in a serious condition after being hit by a paraglider while she ate a meal with her family on holiday.
Lily Nichol, 15, from Durham, was injured on Friday on the final day of her holiday in Oludeniz, a resort town in southwest Turkey.
She now needs multiple operations including back and jaw surgery, which would cost the family £45,000, Lyndsey Logan, her mother, told the BBC.
When Lily was eating pizza at a restaurant with her mum and older sister, a paraglider “came from nowhere”, Ms Logan said.
Lyndsey Logan
Lily Nichol (left) is set to have surgery on her back on Monday
“Next thing we knew, my daughter was just unconscious on the floor,” she said.
“I was just screaming, crying for help,” Ms Logan continued. “I thought she was dead.”
Ms Logan said that Lily’s injuries included a broken jaw, a split tongue and four breaks in her spine, which meant that she cannot be moved from hospital.
Her eye was also “gashed open” and her teeth were “wobbly” and would need replacing, she said.
Doctors told her that Lily had also suffered a bleed on the brain but a scan later confirmed that she had no serious head injuries.
Ms Logan had not taken out travel insurance meaning the family has now been left to foot the bill for Lily’s medical care.
It has so far cost £7,200, which Lily’s father has paid, but the back and jaw surgery would add an extra £45,000.
Ms Logan said her family does not have the money, with Lily set to have the surgery on Monday.
Her mother said she would pay a deposit for the operation beforehand but would need to pay the full charge before Lily was able to leave hospital.
Lily’s family have set up an online fundraiser to try cover the costs.
Lyndsey Logan
Both Lily (right) and her sister Megan (left) were knocked unconscious by the paraglider, their mother said
‘Absolutely traumatised’
“My daughter didn’t remember anything,” Ms Logan said. “She thought she was having a dream.”
On both Friday and Saturday nights, Lily had “bad nightmares,” Ms Logan said.
Her other daughter, Megan, 19, had also been knocked unconscious by the paraglider but was not as badly injured.
“She came around when I started screaming,” she said.
Ms Logan said that she was “absolutely traumatised” herself, adding: “I’ll never forget this day”.
The family have been in contact with the British Embassy in Turkey.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told the BBC: “We are providing support to a British girl and her family following an accident in Turkey.”
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