A BOY of 13 who became impaled on railings in a recreation ground, asked his rescuer: “I’m going to die, aren’t I?”

But David McRae survived, thanks to 53-year-old Paul Welfare, of Smith Street, Strood, who came to his aid.

David’s parents, David and Amanda McRae, of Cuxton Road, Strood, were pleased to have their son home from hospital over the weekend.

The spikes went through David's ninth and 10th ribs and into his lung. "The doctors said he was lucky to be alive," his mother said.

Now she wants other youngsters who use Darnley Road recreation ground at Strood to be aware of the dangers of clambering over the fence.

She stressed: "It’s just not worth it. I might not have my son now if it hadn’t been for the prompt action of Mr Welfare. We’ll appreciate what he did forever. A lot of people would have run away.”

David and a friend had been playing football in the recreation ground when the ball went over the six-foot fence into scrubland. The boys walked round to collect the ball. But because there is a high bank the other side of the fence, they decided it would be easy to clamber back over it.

David grasped a tree branch for support, but this snapped and he fell. Deadly sharp spikes penetrated his back and entered his lung.

Mr Welfare said: “I was sitting on a bench while my granddaughter played on the swings. When the branch snapped the boy went down and was screaming with pain.

“Two spikes were sticking into him and I was frightened a third might kill him. Somehow, I managed to lift him off. He said: 'I’m dying, aren’t I,’ but I assured him he wasn’t. We rolled up his T-shirt and pressed it into the cut and I got him home.

“It’s surprising how many children jump over that fence. I’ve seen it happen often.”

David's mother added: "He is on the mend now after surgery but he still faces a long recovery period."