MOTHER-of-two Marie Carlucci has spoken of her shock after both her sons’ legs were broken in an accident involving a metal fence.

Mrs Carlucci, 33, of Wallingford, wants to warn other parents to stay clear of the railing that fell on her sons Arthur, four, and Remi, two, after she picked up Arthur from primary school in Warborough.

Mrs Carlucci, a biologist who works at Oxford Science Park, said the accident happened on a pathway off Thame Road on Friday, February 4.

She said: “I picked up Arthur from Warborough primary school with my other son Remi.

“I was talking to another mum when Arthur climbed on to the bridge railing which is supposed to prevent people from falling into a ditch.

“The railing suddenly fell on his legs and on his brother’s legs and it was so heavy that I had to get help from another mum so we could lift it off the boys’ legs.

“The steel pole at the top of the railing hit the boys’ legs and they were both screaming and neither of them could stand up.

“We took them to the first aid unit at Wallingford Community Hospital and we were then referred to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, where staff confirmed they both had broken legs. They will now be in plaster for about six weeks.

“The railing is now lying on the ground and we are trying to find out which organisation is responsible for it.

“You would think it would be safe to walk around a village like Warborough on the way back from school and we don’t want this to happen to anyone else.

“It’s lucky the accident wasn’t more serious, but I don’t know why the railing was left in such an unstable state.

“Every time we try to talk to Arthur about what happened he starts to cry — I think he is still traumatised.” Mrs Carlucci, who lives with her husband Marc, 32, a self-employed IT consultant, comes from France and moved to Wallingford about six years ago.

She added: “Arthur’s left tibia has been broken just below the knee and Remi has the same injury on his right leg.

“Arthur could have been crushed if he had been in a different position.”

Mrs Carlucci, of Wilding Road, said the railing next to the drainage ditch was on a pathway off Thame Road leading to Six Acre field.

Nicole Cooper, headteacher of St Laurence CofE Primary School in Thame Road, Warborough, said: “The pathway where this happened is about a quarter of a mile from the school and we are trying to find out if the highways authority is responsible for the railing.

“There are 65 pupils at the school and I have emailed all the parents to let them know what happened and to remind them that their children shouldn’t climb on gates and railings.”

Marcus Mabberley, a spokesman for the county council, said: “Our records show that this railing is not on land that the county council is responsible for.

“Council officers, however, visited the site last Friday and will erect some temporary plastic barriers to warn passers-by of the possible hazard.

“The council will also investigate who owns the land in order to inform the landowners of the situation. A permanent replacement of the railings would be the responsibility of the landowner.”