A SIXTEEN-year-old school girl from Dunmow was taken to Broomfield Hospital on Saturday (October 28) after being hit in the eye by an egg that was thrown from a passing car. Brodie Innes, from North Road, had just left a party in Stebbing and was waiting

A SIXTEEN-year-old school girl from Dunmow was taken to Broomfield Hospital on Saturday (October 28) after being hit in the eye by an egg that was thrown from a passing car.

Brodie Innes, from North Road, had just left a party in Stebbing and was waiting for a lift with two friends at about 12.30pm.

April Higgs, 16, who was with Miss Innes at the time, explained what happened.

"We were sitting outside the house waiting for one of our mums to collect us and this small car, blue and silver I think, full of boys drove past us a couple times.

"We thought they were throwing things at us each time they passed but we couldn't be sure what they were throwing and then Brodie was hit in the eye.

"She was in shock and very frightened because she couldn't see out of her eye. When we looked and saw that her eye was bleeding we called the ambulance straight away."

The ambulance crew took Miss Innes to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford where doctors cleaned egg out of her eye before an eye specialist carried out a series of tests to measure the amount of damage that had been done internally and externally to the eyeball.

She was discharged early on Sunday morning.

Jacqueline Innes, Brodie's mother, said: "There is grazing to the front of the eye that has left her unable to focus and internal bleeding in the eye needs to be monitored and requires her to have complete bed- rest. Her face and eye are badly swollen.

The injury means that Miss Innes will not be able to play for her hockey team, Dunmow Ladies II. It also prevents her from starting a new job she has got with a chemist in the town.

Miss Higgs said that Brodie was angry because the boy who threw the egg probably didn't know what damage he had done to her. He may not have meant it, but his foolish prank could have cost her the sight in one eye.

"We would all like to say thank you to the ambulance crew and the doctors in the hospital for everything they have done for Brodie." added Miss Higgs.

Sgt James Gilchrist of Dunmow police said: "This is a classic example of how what someone considers being a bit of a prank can go very wrong and end up in someone getting seriously hurt.

"The injuries this young lady has suffered could be bad enough for the assailant being charged with Actual Bodily Harm, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail.

"We would urge anyone who is thinking about doing anything like this to think seriously about the consequences before they act.