Linda Kelsey’s injury happened when she was simply taking her pet bulldog for an early morning walk before work in her local park.
Her dog’s lead brushed against a 150kg metal bin, and because the bolts holding it in place had rusted, that small knock was all it took for the bin to topple on her and crush her foot.
She was rushed to hospital, given morphine and the doctors found that her right foot was fractured in four places.
She underwent lengthy surgery, and two metal plates and pins/screws were inserted in her foot.
Linda, a mum of three from East London, had to quit her job as a catering group manager and completely change her lifestyle due to her badly swollen foot.
Linda said: “I am a very social and active person – this has hit me hard as now I am mostly indoors. I have had to quit the job I love and now can’t go out and socialise as I get too tired from my ankle and leg pain – all because of a bin.
“Since my accident my husband has seen another bin toppled on the ground, so this is obviously a recurring problem. These bins are dangerous as they are so heavy when they fall and potentially lethal. It took two men to lift it back up after my accident. If one of them falls on a child, it could kill them.”
Linda approached Express Solicitors for guidance and is now taking legal action against her local council in a bid to get all councils to check park bins for faults.
Laura Penny-Vedrines, Senior Associate in the occupiers’ and public liability department at Express Solicitors said: “Linda’s life changed after an unsecured bin fell on her leg. She has lost her career over something that should never have happened. It’s clear there is a significant lack of maintenance of public spaces in the UK, and in cases like Linda’s, negligence leads to life changing injuries.”
Read more:
The Standard (June 10, 2025) Mother sues London council after park bin injury