A four-year-old has been left in a cast covering most of his body after breaking his leg in a “freak accident” at nursery.

Thomas Sutcliffe, from Aylesham near Canterbury, is facing a six-week summer holiday without being able to swim or play outdoors, while plaster spanning from his chest to his ankle keeps him immobile.

Thomas was at nursery last Wednesday when he suffered the nasty injury.

Mum Louise Sutcliffe, 33, said: “He was pushing a little buggy around and he fell over very awkwardly - he wasn’t even running.

“I got there and realised how upset he was. He was saying he can’t walk and his leg was swelling.”

Louise praised Thomas’ nursery and stresses that there are no concerns about how he came by his injury.

“It was an accident,” she said. “Really unfortunate, but he wasn’t even doing anything crazy.”

She rushed Thomas to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, where an x-ray revealed he had broken his femur.

He was transferred to the QEQM Hospital in Margate where medics decided to place him in a ‘spica’ cast for up to six weeks, to keep his legs in the correct position while they heal.

“It was all pretty traumatic,” said Louise.

“He was in a lot of pain. He had to have general anaesthetic (to have the cast put on) which was also very traumatic for us all.”

Thomas was discharged home on Saturday night, but is now “really struggling” with being stuck indoors in discomfort.

His parents have not been given a wheelchair for Thomas or advice on how to care for a child in a spica cast, and say they are disappointed by the lack of after-care they have received.

Meanwhile, Thomas’ cast - which must be kept dry - is posing issues when it comes to bathing and going to the bathroom.

“He’s really frustrated,” said Louise.

“Thomas is on-the-go all day usually, running around. He loves water, loves being out in the garden, but at the minute he’s just trapped in the room.

“His cast’s really itching as well, so that’s causing him a lot of distress.

“He keeps saying ‘why am I in this cast? I want it off’.”

A family friend is now raising money to help buy him a wheelchair, and to make life more comfortable and enjoyable for the little boy, his parents and his six-year-old brother.

The fundraising page has already topped £1,100, which will help pay for the wheelchair and extra items the youngster needs, while making the family’s life “a bit easier over the summer, and more enjoyable”.

Visit the Gofundme page here.

East Kent Hospitals has been approached for a comment.