Outback Community Warned After Boy, 10, Clotheslined by Wire on Dirt Bike Track
A ten-year-old boy is recovering after being clotheslined by an unmarked wire while riding his dirt bike in outback Queensland. Local residents have since discovered and removed multiple other hazard ropes from the popular riding area.
A local outback community is on high alert after a ten-year-old boy was airlifted to hospital with severe neck injuries, having ridden his dirt bike into an unmarked wire strung across a popular track.
Braymond Pyke was taking one final lap of the dirt bike track along Old Charleville Road, just outside Cunnamulla, when the terrifying incident occurred late on Friday afternoon. His mother, Bronwyn Wood, recalled the horror of hearing her son's sudden screams for help.
A Mother's Nightmare
"My son was just bleeding from the throat," Ms. Wood said. "It's the worst thing… you never want to imagine. I've never seen him in so much pain. It was horrifying."
Ms. Wood immediately drove her son to the local Cunnamulla Hospital. Due to the severity of his throat injuries, he was airlifted to Roma and then transferred to Toowoomba Hospital for specialist treatment. Braymond was able to return home on Monday, nursing severe rope burns, deep scratches, and internal bruising.
"The relief, knowing that the outcome could have been so much worse. He is one very lucky boy," Ms. Wood said.
Investigation Underway
Local police have confirmed they are investigating the incident and have patrolled the area for further safety hazards.
Braymond's father, Brendon Pyke, noted that the wire involved was electric fence wire, commonly used to hold cattle. He suggested that drovers who recently moved stock through the area might have inadvertently left the wiring behind, though he could not rule out deliberate placement.
"It's electric fence wire designed to hold cattle in," Mr. Pyke said, emphasizing that drovers have a strict responsibility to dismantle and remove all equipment when finished. "Double-check where your kids are going to be riding," he warned other families.
Multiple Hazards Discovered
The incident has sparked widespread concern among residents. Cunnamulla local Troy Nelson, who voluntarily maintains the track, took his sons to search the area in the wake of the accident. To their shock, they discovered and cut down approximately 10 similar ropes and wires strung up across the riding zone.
Mr. Nelson revealed that Braymond's accident was not an isolated event, noting that another young rider had been caught by a rope in a similar fashion just weeks prior, though that incident went unreported as the child was not seriously hurt.
With police investigations continuing, community members are urging all riders and parents to inspect local tracks thoroughly before setting off.