A POOLE school has pledged to review the scheduling of its cricket matches, after a five-year-old was left with a fractured skull when he was hit with a ball.

Harry Butt, from Canford Heath, was struck on the side of his forehead and knocked off his feet when a ball came flying over the fence of Poole Grammar School on Thursday afternoon.

The little boy now has two black eyes, a swollen nose and is suffering sight and hearing problems following the incident, which happened when he and his family were visiting friends in Hasler Road, which backs onto the school's field.

Initially he was suffering from severe concussion, but a subsequent CT scan has revealed a fracture to his skull.

He has been transferred to Southampton Hospital where it is likely he will have to remain for several days.

When his worried mum Michelle first took him to hospital after he was hit, she was told by a consultant that, if he had been hit anywhere else on his head, he would not be alive.

Michelle's friend Sarah Bryant said Harry had been "acting very strangely" since being injured.

"The hospital rang this morning and he had a CT scan. Within an hour, they said there was a fracture on his skull that is pressing into his brain. They can't believe he's still walking."

Residents of Halser Road told the Echo they had complained on numerous occasions about cricket balls coming over the fence and hitting cars and roofs.

Sarah, on whose driveway the incident took place, said she was now concerned about her own children playing outside: "We've complained before because we've got about three balls embedded in the roof. Our next door neighbour had one in her back garden and they've had to have a roof repaired. We've told them time and time again.

"We are not happy at all because we've got three children here and now they're worried about going out the front door when you hear the kids on the field out there. Harry is still very lucky to be alive, but this could be a long-term thing."

Sarah, who is mum to three children aged five, 12 and 14, added: "Next time it could kill someone. Cars can be replaced - but a child's life can't be."

Poole Grammar School headteacher Andy Baker said: "Following the accident on May 3, when a young person was injured by a cricket ball from a game taking place on the school field at Poole Grammar School, we are reviewing the scheduling of matches on our pitches.

"This is the first such incident in my time as headteacher at Poole Grammar, but it is one incident too many. We hope that the young person makes a full recovery, and we are very conscious of the distress this has caused to him and his family."