A ten-month-old baby escaped serious injury when a heavy metal peg fell on her in Witney's High Street.

Young mother Helen Hambidge was horrified as the bolt came away from a banner hung across the street and landed on her infant's pushchair.

Helen and Sarah Hanbridge It rebounded on to the child's head, leaving her with cuts and bruising. "If it had been a direct hit, it could have been awful," Mrs Hambidge said.

Now an investigation is under way. The police have passed on details to the Health and Safety Executive.

The peg was one of several securing a large banner advertising the new year of courses and enrolment at Witney and Abingdon College.

The accident, which happened on Friday afternoon, left Mrs Hambidge, of Mallard Drive, Witney, in shock. She immediately took baby Sarah to hospital for a check-up, then reported the incident to the police.

"The one that fell down on to Sarah was just one of many. Others were hanging down," she said.

"At the police station, they told me it had already been reported. It was very dangerous and something should have been done about it.

Firefighters were called out late on Friday to remove the banner and bolts, but no one so far has admitted clear responsibility for the accident.

College spokesman Sara Skinner said they believed West Oxfordshire District Council was responsible for the pegs.

However, council chief executive Geoff Bonner said: "Banners across highways count as temporary signs, not needing planning permission, so we were not involved."

**Picture: Damian Halliwell