UK NEWS
BOY, 3, CRUSHED BY GIANT SNOWMAN
The 10ft figure fell, trapping the toddler, snowman not pictured
By David Pilditch
A TODDLER had a miracle escape after he was crushed when a giant snowman toppled onto him during a ski holiday.
The horrified father of three-year- old Louis Vindal-Nisbett clawed at the rock-hard snow and ice until his hands bled.
When Louis was pulled free he had turned blue and stopped breathing.
He was immediately rushed to hospital by helicopter.
His father Yves Vindal, a 31-year- old chef, said: “There was a loud crack and then my son vanished under a mass of snow and ice.
“I ran over straight away and my only thought was to get Louis out as soon as possible.
“But the snow was like concrete. I was ripping and tearing at the snow and my hands were bleeding but I didn’t care.
“It was like he was trapped in cement – it was only when others rushed over to help that we managed to get him out.
“We had to perform artificial respi- ration to get him breathing again.”
The family from Chorleywood, Herts, had only just arrived at the resort of Leutasch in the Austrian Tyrol minutes earlier on Sunday morning and were waiting outside their hotel when the 10ft figure fell.
Louis was last night expected to make a full recovery in hospital at Innsbruck where he was airlifted, with his mother Michelle Nisbett.
He had been treated like an avalanche victim and immediately placed in an induced coma. A spokesman said: “He is now out of danger and will soon be released.
The reason for the quick recovery is the speed we can react to avalanche victims.” The snowman was one of
several sculptures by snow artists on the theme of the Olympics, part of an annual festival to publicise the resort.
Police spokesman Inspector Johannes Adentung confirmed they were investigating to see whether criminal charges should be brought.
He added: “There were a number of other snow sculptures and to ensure the safety of the public these have now been dismantled.”
Leutasch tourism board official Martina Nairz, who apologised, said:
“The figures had been there for a week without any problems.”
