Libby, 6, goes home after goalpost mishap

Joelene Mckelvey and niece Libby Mckelvey, whose leg was broken when a soccer goal fell on her at Henry Hill Primary School, Napier. Photo / Duncan Brown

A 6-year-old girl is finally home from hospital three weeks after a set of goalposts were pushed on top of her, breaking her lower leg.

Libby Mckelvey, a pupil at Henry Hill Primary School in Napier, was playing on the field when a group of children pushed the soccer goal posts over.

The posts landed on her leg and snapped her tibia bone.

Henry Hill Primary principal Jason Williams said Libby was playing out of bounds at the time of the accident.

"She was swinging on the posts and when she jumped off the momentum of the other children pushed the posts on top of her," Mr Williams said. He said the children had since been reminded not to go in the area, which had been cordoned off with road cones. "It was a matter of kids being kids."

School staff had also visited her in hospital. Libby's Aunty Joelene Mckelvey said her niece was going "a bit stir crazy" as she was usually very active. "She is very embarrassed by the situation. She covers her face whenever we go to see her," Mrs Mckelvey said.

One highlight for Libby was the appearance of the Hurricanes rugby team to the children's hospital ward.