Shocking footage shows the moment a mother was catapulted from a funfair ride leaving her with ‘life-hanging’ injuries. 

Khadra Ali, now 51, was not suitably restrained on the Xcelerator ride at the Funderpark in Hillingdon, west London, health and safety authorities said.

She spent weeks in a coma and months recovering in hospital.

A Health and Safety Executive found that the ride’s restraints were faulty and there were serious failings with the mechanisms. 

Three men have been given suspended prison sentences and the ride inspector was also fined in connection with the incident in April 2018. 

This is the terrifying moment when mother-of-eight Khadra Ali, 51, is flung from a fairground ride in a funfair in Hillingdon, west London

Mrs Ali clung onto the fairground ride, called the Xcelerator, before she was violently flung off it before crashing into a nearby ride and landing on the ground

The mother-of eight’s seat and safety bars were not checked before the ride began. Health and Safety officers found technical issues had bee missed when the ride was checked the previous year

Mother-of-eight Mrs Ali, who was 45 at the time, was on the ride with her daughter and ‘screamed for help’ as she desperately clung on before being ejected.

After being flung off the ride, she hit the barrier of an adjacent ride and landed on the ground.

Mrs Ali spent the next few weeks in a coma and four months in hospital as a result of her injuries – which included multiple fractures, internal bleeding and a significant head injury – and can now no longer do chores or activities with her children.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the ride’s seat restraint system was designed with electrical and mechanical failings by the manufacturer, Perrin Stevens Limited.

The ride control system was set up in such a way that it would not have detected all failures, the HSE said.

The public body added that Derek Hackett, the ride owner trading as Hackett Fairs, failed to properly maintain the ride.

It said this was in part due to Perrin Stevens’ operator manual lacking in information on inspection and maintenance of the seat restraint system.

The investigation also found on the day of the incident Mr Hackett’s ride operator had no attendant assisting them despite the operations manual requiring a minimum of two people to operate and monitor the ride.

The rides at the Funderpark in west London. Health and Safety officers found that the rides were faulty and that Mrs Ali’s restraint was not checked

The mother spent weeks in a coma and four months recovering in hospital after suffering multiple fractures, internal bleeding and a significant head injury

Crucially, the operator did not check each rider’s restraint bar as they should have before starting the ride, and did not notice that Mrs Ali required assistance and stopped the ride.

DMG Technical Ltd was the appointed inspection body and had overall control of the in-service annual inspection of the ride and responsibility for issuing the declaration of the operation compliance.

David Geary, director at DMG Technical Ltd, completed the annual inspection in 2017 and did not identify any failed switches or maintenance concerns, the HSE said.

Hackett, Stevens and Geary all admitted breaching health and safety regulations and were handed suspended prison sentences on May 7.

DMG Technical Ltd, which also admitted an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act, was fined £51,000.

HSE inspector Helen Donnelly said: ‘Mrs Ali was simply enjoying a day out with her children in what she expected to be a safe environment.

‘As a result, she continues to suffer pain and significant impacts to her everyday life.

‘Good health and safety management often requires multiple precautions being put in place, and often by different parties.

‘This incident shows that there are serious consequences when we do not fulfil our health and safety duties and become reliant on the actions of others to ensure the safety of workers and the public.

‘Good health and safety is a collective effort and we must all take responsibility for the role we have in keeping people safe.

‘While this investigation has been long and complex, we hope Mrs Ali and her family will find some comfort with the sentence and see that justice has now been served.’

A statement from Mrs Ali’s representative said: ‘The family of Khadra Ali is deeply relieved that the criminal prosecution has concluded following the tragic incident at the Funderpark Fun Fair.

‘They are grateful to everyone who has supported them throughout this challenging process.

‘While no outcome can undo the impact of the life-changing injuries on Khadra’s health and well-being, they hope this marks the beginning of their journey to rebuild their lives and provide her with the support she needs moving forward.

‘The family remain committed to providing Khadra with the best quality of life possible.

‘They respectfully request privacy as they continue to focus on caring for Khadra and facing the challenges ahead.’

AT the court hearing, Stevens, of Berkshire, was handed a custodial sentence of 32 weeks, suspended for 18 months, ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £11,444 in costs.

Hackett, of Manchester, was given a custodial sentence of 18 weeks, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £4,800 in costs.

Geary from Hackney, was also given a custodial sentence of 44 weeks, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to pay £24,000 in costs.