JUST to see a smile back on the face of their little girl is a massive relief to the parents of young Casey White.The 17-month-old toddler was left badly burnt after she poured boiling hot water over herself while at Angels Daycare nursery in Needham Market 10 days ago.

JUST to see a smile back on the face of their little girl is a massive relief to the parents of young Casey White.

The 17-month-old toddler was left badly burnt after she poured boiling hot water over herself while at Angels Daycare nursery in Needham Market 10 days ago.

She spent almost a week at the specialist burns unit at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, where she was put under general anaesthetic four times and had a skin graft on her shoulder.

But at the weekend she was allowed back to her Stowmarket home, much to the delight of her parents Claire, 24, and Darren, 25, and her older brother Connor, four.

“She is quite settled now,” said Mrs White. “She has her moments and she is telling me when it hurts her, but she is in a really good spirits.

“We are worried about her shoulder. She will be scarred on her shoulder but we are confident about her face. It is healing really well and we are pleased with that.

“We have to go back to the hospital three times a week and doctors have said they cannot rule out a second skin graft if this one does not take, which, fingers crossed, it will.”

The accident happened when Casey followed a member of staff into a kitchen area and poured boiling water - which was being cooled for babies - over herself. Casey was rushed to Ipswich Hospital by her mother, but after being seen by a doctor in accident and emergency, a decision was taken not to admit her to a ward. She was bandaged up and sent home with paracetemol-based medicine Calpol and pain reliever Nurofen.

But after returning to the hospital the following day and still in agonising pain, she was later taken by ambulance to the specialist burns unit at Broomfield Hospital.

Mrs White was left furious with the decision by Ipswich Hospital not to admit her daughter and also angry with Angels Daycare.

She now says she will sue the nursery and will officially file a complaint with the hospital.

Ofsted and environmental health officers from Mid Suffolk District Council are currently investigating the incident.

Following the accident, Sue Button, owner of Angels Daycare said: “We deeply care for our children and we honestly did believe that we had thought of everything that may happen. However on this occasion we have failed and this dreadful accident has occurred. I cannot begin to express the sorrow that the nursery has gone through over this, and everything has been done to ensure that, where humanly possible, nothing like this will ever happen again.”

Ipswich Hospital said Casey was seen by an experienced doctor in A&E who believed her injuries could be managed as an outpatient with dressings. “It is extremely unusual to have to refer a hot water scald for specialist assessment and surgery. We are obviously very sorry for any extra distress that Casey and her family suffered as a result of her transfer,” said a spokeswoman.