AN ANGRY grandmother has demanded an inquiry after hospital staff failed to realise her one-year-old grandson had a broken leg.

Jan West claimed a doctor at Blackburn Royal Infirmary gave little Connor Richardson a clean bill of health and tried to send him home even though a subsequent X-ray revealed the fracture.

Today health bosses vowed to investigate the incident and urged the family to get in touch to discuss the situation.

A health watchdog also offered to meet with the family to help with the complaints process.

Mrs West, of London Terrace, Darwen, said: "It is an absolute disgrace. Connor could have been crippled for life if we had accepted what the first doctor said.

"I am not a doctor but I knew there was something wrong. I insisted on a second opinion, much to the disgust of the nurse, and it is just as well that I did.

"You can't be too careful with babies but the staff at the hospital just seemed to want to get rid of us as soon as possible like we were on some kind of conveyor belt."

Connor was eventually treated for his broken left leg and Mrs West, a qualified first aider, took him back to hospital yesterday morning where he had a full plastercast put on his leg.

She said she had now lodged an official complaint.

She said: "We haven't had an apology off them yet. They were just going to send me home."

Connor, who was one earlier this month, fell down stairs at his home in Oxford Street, Darwen, at tea time on Friday after mum Shelana McNeill had been distracted for a moment.

Mrs West said the youngster, who has been walking since he was ten months old, hurt his head, back and leg in the fall and they rushed him straight to hospital.

Mrs West said: "We got there at 5.45pm and by 6.15pm we were being told everything was all right and to go home.

"The harm that could have been done if we had taken the doctor's advice does not bear thinking about."

A second doctor examined Connor and ordered X-rays which revealed a fracture of his left leg close to the growth plate near his knee.

Mrs West said: "A baby like Connor can't tell you where or how something hurts which is why it is even more important to take no chances.

"The first doctor made us feel as if we were being over anxious but fortunately we weren't prepared to be fobbed off."

John Thomas, chief executive, with the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust, said: "I am aware that Connor's family has raised concerns regarding his treatment in the accident and emergency department and our service manager will be contacting them in the near future offering to arrange a meeting to discuss these concerns.

"The decision of whether to X-ray a child is always a very difficult one because of the potential risks from radiation and the senior house officer who first saw Connor was taking this into account together with Connor's clinical symptoms when he did not request an X-ray straight away.

"Nevertheless I appreciate the family's worries and would hope that the matter can be discussed in more detail with them."

Nigel Robinson, chief officer with the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Community Health Council, said he was concerned at the incident.

He said: "Obviously I am very concerned about it and if the family would like to talk to me, to help them through the complaints procedure, I would be more than happy.

"A child can't tell you what's going on. It highlights the need for staff to listen to the relatives, who can provide a valuable insight. It was good this gran showed the persistence she did."