Sheffield Independent – Friday 19 August 1927

Blinded at Play

Mexborough Childs Plight

As a result of childish pranks with a lorry-load of lime, a six-and-a-half-years’ old Mexborough girl is lying in the Sheffield Royal Infirmary with her right eye burnt out and her hair badly burnt.

She is Constance Mitchell, daughter of Mr and Mrs Henry Mitchell, 18 Oliver Street, Mexborough and her younger brother, aged five, has burns over the eye and his eyelashes burnt off.

The two children, it is stated, were playing with other children on a piece of waste ground near Simpson’s place, when some older children brought the lime in tin cans from a lorry belonging to Mr. Thorpe, coal dealer, of Simpson’s place.

Mr. Thorpe had left the lorry in his backyard during his dinner hour. About a dozen or so of the children were playing with the lime, throwing it at each other, and it is said that one small girl poured some lime over Connie Mitchell’s head.

All the children sustained slight burns but excepting Connie they have recovered.

Connie Mitchell’s condition was stated yesterday to very serious,” but efforts are being made to save her other eye. She is also suffering from burns about the head and face.