'Let children hurt themselves' say safety experts

Adults shouldn’t prevent children from playing outside and taking risks, says the accident prevention charity RoSPA. “Bumps, bruises and grazes are not serious injuries and are part of growing up. When children spend time in the great outdoors, getting muddy, getting wet, getting stung by nettles, they learn important lessons - what hurts, what is slippery, what you can trip over or fall from,” said a spokesman.

In urban areas, “wild” spaces for play could be created within parks, with opportunities for paddling in streams, building dens and climbing trees.

RoSPA encourages parents to talk to their children about risks and how to cope with them, for example they might discuss why not all trees, such as those by roads or above concrete or railings, are good choices for climbing.