Towie star's plea for mandatory ice skating gloves rejected

Ministers have formally rejected a reality TV star's petition for ice rinks to make wearing gloves compulsory for children, but MPs may still debate the issue.

The Only Way is Essex (Towie) celebrity Chloe Lewis launched her plea when her six-year-old son Beau had part of his finger sliced off by an ice skate and her petition to the UK Parliament gathered more than 24,700 signatures.

Having passed the 10,000 minimum threshold to qualify for a formal government response, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said there are no plans to change the law.

However, the petition will remain open until August and, if it passes 100,000 signatures there could still be a parliamentary debate.

In an emotional Instagram post, Lewis explained how she received a call alerting her to Beau having been injured at an ice rink when he fell over and someone "ran over his finger with their bladed skates, which took his finger off".

She said her son was wrapped in a silver medical blanket when she arrived and an ambulance took the pair to hospital, where he underwent 3.5 hours of surgery to try and reattach the fingertip.

Although the surgery went well, she said "the part of the finger they reattached sadly didn't take" after eight weeks so may need to be removed if it doesn't fall off by itself.

Of her decision to launch the petition, she said: "As I'll never be able to bring his finger back, I'd love all your support in helping me change the law to stop this happening to other children."

Supporters rallied round her petition, which read: "I'd like to for the law to be changed so children are only permitted to ice skate if wearing protective gloves to protect their hands. The blades are so sharp."

Responding, a DCMS spokesperson said: "The safety and welfare of everyone taking part in sport and recreational activities is absolutely paramount...

"However, individuals have the right to make their own choices, and parents and guardians are free to exercise that right on behalf of the children and young people they are responsible for where appropriate.

"The government has no plans to change the law to make it compulsory for children to wear gloves while ice skating."

However, all petitions remain open for six months, so Chloe sis still hoping enough people could sign to get over the bar for MPs to discuss the issue.

She said: "I hope to get to 100,000 signatures so there can be a debate in parliament."