A SIX-YEAR-OLD girl was sent home from hospital screaming in agony with a 10cm piece of wood embedded in her chin.

The youngster's family claim staff at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital did not realise Sophia Navarro was in such a serious condition after falling from her bike and colliding with a tree stump.

After examining her, they sent her home, telling mum Melanie to bring her back to A&E the following day.

When the family returned in the morning, they were sent to Poole Hospital’s Oral and Maxillofacial department where surgery was carried out to remove the shard of wood.

Sophia lives in Wakely Road, Bournemouth with parents Melanie and Sacha, twin sister Siena and 11-year-old brother, Ben.

Melanie said her daughter was taken to A&E on Monday April 16 by her grandparents after the accident in Queens Park.

She said Sophia’s grandmother realised there was a piece of wood stuck in her chin but had no idea how long it was.

She told the Daily Echo that nurses initially said they would try to remove the wood and used numbing cream. When Sophia became upset they used gas and air.

Staff then decided she may need to be anaesthetised and told them to return the following day.

“I couldn’t believe they were sending her home with a piece of wood in her face” said Melanie. “She was in absolute agony and couldn’t eat anything at all.

“They specifically told us to return to Bournemouth A&E in the morning so it was a surprise when we were told we were in the wrong place.

“Sophia still hadn’t been able to eat anything and she was becoming increasingly distressed.”

Mrs Navarro said staff at Poole’s Oral and Maxillofacial department expressed surprise that Sophia had not been treated on the previous day and suggested she could have suffered nerve damage.

Sophia, a pupil of Talbot Heath in Bournemouth, had to have two weeks off school following surgery.

A spokeswoman for the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We would always encourage patients and relatives to raise any concerns they might have directly with us so we can investigate. Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) would be very happy to speak to the family if they would like to get in touch."