By April Mitchinson

The mother of a year-old baby girl who suffered a fractured skull when struck by an industrial rolling pin in Dundee city centre wants answers to why the accident happened.

Alyssa Burns, from Lochgelly, was being cared for by her grandmother outside Boots the Chemist, next to the Overgate shopping centre, on Thursday when the kitchen utensil weighing around three kilograms plummeted from a window of the staff canteen three storeys above.

The implement struck her on the head and she was rushed by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital, where an X-ray and CT scan revealed she had sustained a fractured skull.

Alyssa may still require surgery for bleeding on the brain.

“It’s very difficult and I’m not feeling great but I’m trying to stay strong for Alyssa,” said her mother Claire, who has not left her daughter’s bedside since the tragic accident.

Claire has another daughter, 11-year-old Nicole.

“She’s not too bad—she’s being closely monitored and is improving slightly each day,” Claire said.

“There’s no time-frame and we don’t know if we are going to have to go down the road towards surgery.

“It’s just a matter of taking each day as it comes but we certainly aren’t anywhere near the stage of being able to go home yet.

“I’ve not left her bedside since she was admitted and I haven’t had any communication with Boots. To be quite honest I just want answers as to how this could have possibly happened.”

A spokeswoman for Boots the Chemist said, “We are continuing with the investigations as to how this incident could have occurred.

“The third floor is a Boots staff canteen and we have taken steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We are continuing to work with the police and Health & Safety authorities.

“We have made contact with the family of Alyssa Burns to express our sympathy and wish Alyssa a full and speedy recovery.”

Dundee City Council has launched an investigation as it—not the Health & Safety Executive—is responsible for investigations into health and safety violations in shop premises.

Tayside Police said they would not have any further involvement as there was no evidence of criminal activity.

They described the incident as an extremely unfortunate accident.

No one from Dundee City Council was available for comment owing to the spring holiday yesterday.