Shelby Clarke was enjoying a trip to The Pleasure Beach in Blackpool when she was hit by a jet of water from The Spectacular Dancing Water Fountain so powerful she required 250 stitches between her legs.
Having been brought to hospital by her horrified parents, 14-year-old Shelby underwent two hours of surgery and suffered injuries so severe doctors asserted that the teen had suffered a sexual assault.
Recalling the horrifying event, Shelby's mum, Karen, said: "The consultant took me aside and said he thought she might have been raped. I was appalled. By now, Shelby was under anaesthetic so she couldn't speak up."
Speaking on behalf of her sibling, Shelby's sister, Sarah, vouched for Shelby and asserted that a water jet had knocked her sister off her feet and caused the profuse bleeding as a result of internal and external damage.
Immediately after the horrifying accident, Shelby struggled to come to terms with the repercussions of the event, saying: "I was terrified of going to the toilet afterwards, because it was so painful. I became terrified of going to the loo. It almost became a phobia."
Commenting on the effect the accident had on her reproductive system, the 19-year-old recalled: "My periods became very heavy and so painful. My doctor gave me an implant to stop my periods, but I still suffered with pain and sudden bleeds."
Five years on from the incident, Shelby admits her gynaecological injuries have left a lasting impact, saying: "I don't know if I can have a baby naturally in the future. My doctors say we will just have to wait and see."
Embarrassed by the incident but determined to seek compensation for her injuries, Shelby said: "I had to relive my ordeal, over and over, and discuss my sex life and my periods with gynaecologists, solicitors and barristers. It was very embarrassing but I was determined to see it through."
Commenting on Shelby's experience, a spokesperson for Blackpool Pleasure Beach has said: "Since the incident, strict procedures have been put in place to ensure guests do not enter the fountains during a show. Clear announcements are made before the start of a show and staff man the fountain at the perimeter of the fountains."
