2 women slashed in neck by same kite string in China park

When someone tells you to go fly a kite, you probably shouldn't do it across a busy path.

Two women in Shandong, China had their necks slashed by the same kite string minutes apart on Nov 14, leaving them both with numerous stitches, according to a report by Qilu Evening News.

One of the victims, known only as Zhang, told the newspaper on Nov 15 that she had been riding through a park in Tai'an city on her electric bicycle when she felt a sudden pain across her neck.

"I fell to the ground and my bike ended up landing 10 metres away. I was dazed from the fall," Zhang recounted in Mandarin.

Feeling that something was wrapped around her neck, Zhang only realised that she had been cut by the string of a kite after she had managed to free herself.

Just a few minutes prior, another woman, known only as Li, had also been slashed in the neck by the kite string while she rode her bicycle down the same path.

"I was riding my bike very slowly but didn't see the string at all. I just felt my neck hurting and quickly grabbed the string. In the end, my glove was all cut up," Li said. "I can't imagine what would have happened if I hadn't managed to grab onto it."

The two women were rushed to a nearby hospital where Zhang received over 30 stitches for a cut that was 1.5cm deep and Li received 10 stitches.

Zhang's doctor reportedly said that she could have lost her life if the cut had been any lower.

She is still hospitalised and receiving treatment for her injuries, according to media reports yesterday morning (Nov 17).

A spokesperson for the park confirmed to reporters on Nov 16 that the incident had taken place on their grounds.

They also said that they did not have CCTV footage of the incident as the wires of the surveillance cameras in the area were recently damaged from the planting of several trees.

Local police are currently investigating the incident.

While this may seem like a freak accident, it is not the first time that errant kite strings have caused serious injuries.

Just three months ago, a four-year-old Indian girl died after her throat was slit by a kite string while she was riding on her father's motorcycle.

kimberlylim@asiaone.com