A WORCESTER footballer has spoken about how she was left in pain for three years after a fracture she suffered while playing was not properly treated.

Sally Marsh of Diglis was playing with KGV Women’s team in August 2012 when she landed awkwardly, fracturing two bones in her right leg. But a series of errors by staff at Worcestershire Royal Hospital left the leg deformed and nerves damaged.

When Miss Marsh was taken to the Royal her leg was put into a cast and was told she would be able to put weight on it. The cast remained on for eight weeks before she was given a half leg cast for a further six weeks and then an airboot leg brace.

When the cast was removed Miss Marsh – who had continued to experience serious pain while it was on – noticed her leg looked bent and went to see an orthopaedic specialist at the Royal, who told her the bones had not healed properly and had set at a painful 19 degree angle. Although she was told she would need an operation to realign the bones within a few weeks, the procedure was not carried out until November 2013 – nine months later.

A metal cage was fitted to her leg to help it heal, but developed a number of infections. Although it was removed in March 2014 Miss Marsh continued to experience pain and still has to wear the airboot. In August this year she was referred for more surgery to fix screws and bolts in her leg to stabilise the fractures.

The 25-year-old said the past three years had been “incredibly difficult” and she had been unable to play football since the accident.

“I am still in a great amount of pain on a daily basis, which affects my mobility and has also forced me to have a significant amount of time off work,” she said.

She added she was particularly annoyed she was being forced to have further surgery, which could delay her recovery yet further.

“I am desperate to get my life back to normal,” she said.

“I should have been given the correct treatment to start with which would have avoided the past three years’ worth of hospital visits, surgeries and ongoing pain and I would have made a full recovery.”

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – which runs the Royal as well as Kidderminster Hospital and Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital – has since admitted Miss Marsh should not have been told she could put weight on her leg after being discharged the first time.

The organisation has also conceded it failed to recognise she needed surgery to fix the fracture and her recovery had been delayed as a result.

Interim chief medical officer at the trust Andy Phillips said: “We are very sorry about the delay and problems that Sally Marsh has experienced at our trust.

“We hope to come to an agreement soon on a settlement, and are glad that Sally is now on the road to recovery.

“We wish her well for the future.”

Legal firm Irwin Mitchell is now working with the NHS to secure a settlement for Miss Marsh.