Running Horse Inn: Girl, 5, hit by stray golf ball at pub

An eyewitness said the girl, aged five, broke down in floods of tears after being hit while at the Running Horse Inn at Long Bank, near Bewdley, which is adjacent to the Wharton Park Golf Club driving range.

The pub is now in talks with the golf club about making the location safer but a pubgoer has said he is worried that the situation could be lethal. 

Phil Wilkinson said he was with friends in the pub's beer garden when one of his friends' daughters, suddenly "screamed" and "broke down in floods of tears" on Sunday, August 4. 

Mr Wilkinson said: "Could you imagine the injury that this golf ball could have created had it hit anyone on the head? Fatal is no exaggeration".

Mr Wilkinson, who is a retired cultural sports turf/ amenity consultant, says he has been playing golf for 35 years and has "never identified such a potentially lethal location of a golf range".

He claims that he is aware that another similar incident happened last year, where a stray golf ball landed in the beer garden.

The beer garden at the Running Horse Inn, which is next to the driving range (Image: Google) Mr Wilkinson says he will be writing to Wyre Forest District Council asking for action to be taken following the incident and has called for the driving range to be closed.

A spokesperson for the golf club said: “We make every effort to ensure that strict safety measures are put in place to ensure our driving ranges are as safe and enjoyable as possible for our members and visitors.

"We are looking into this incident and reviewing all safety measures in place as a priority.”

The golf ball found after the incident (Image: Phil Wilkinson) A spokesperson for the Running Horse Inn said: “Everyone was extremely upset when one of our young customers was struck in the arm by a golf ball.

"As soon it happened in August we contacted the driving range to tell them what had happened and we are actively in talks with the club to ensure every precaution is being taken to protect surrounding areas from golf balls.”

The planning application for the driving range was approved back in March 2012. 

The planning committee report highlights that the only neighbouring property directly affected is the pub, which has been "considered through boundary fencing". 

The report said: "The works proposed to create a driving range, including ancillary building are considered appropriate to their location and will not adversely affect the landscape or neighbouring properties".