A nine-year-old boy was left paralysed after a pebble he was skimming shattered and sliced through his tendons.
Oliver Quarte, nine, was enjoying a family day out at the beach, skimming stones along the water surface, when one hit a concrete pier.
The stone fractured into pieces, one of which whizzed back through his hand and severed the tendons of his middle finger.
His other fingers were severely damaged and blood began to pour from his left hand before he was rushed to hospital.
Doctors took him straight to emergency surgery, where they wove dozens of stitches through his left hand.
Medics then broke the news that the youngster was now partially paralysed.
But, it's hoped that intense physiotherapy will help him regain movement in his fingers.
Parents Daniel and Bianca Quarte, both 43, wanted to raise awareness of the dangers of the seemingly harmless seaside sport.
Daniel, who works as a website developer, said: "As soon as we heard Oliver's scream, we felt terror and my heart stopped when my wife mouthed 'hospital' after seeing his hand.
"When the paramedics mentioned surgery and said the fingers weren't moving, I realised how serious it was.
"I realised this was a potentially life-changing injury.
"Now two weeks since the surgery, Oliver is regaining a little movement but we are not out of the woods yet and won't be for a long time.
"We want to warn other parents - we aren't saying don't skim stones but be aware of the dangers."
The family were spending the day with friends at a beach near their Hastings, East Sussex home on August 25, when the accident happened.
Oliver's parents were seated in a nearby restaurant when they heard him let out a scream.
Daniel said: "We were suddenly filled with terror and my wife rushed to see him.
"He was covered in blood and it was still flowing quickly - it was clearly not a small cut.
"We struggled to stem the bleeding and people were gathering along the promenade to offer assistance."
The shattered stone left an inch-long gash - so deep it severed several tendons deep in his flesh.
The entirety of the middle finger tendon has been sliced, with another 30 per cent damage to the tendon of his left index and ring finger.
Oliver was kept in overnight at Queen Victoria Hospital, West Sussex, where specialist surgeons repaired the damage by creating a four-inch cut.
Dozens of stitches were woven through his hand and he was sent home with an arm wrapped in bandages.
A set of strict instructions from physiotherapists urges Oliver do a set of hand exercises three times a day for 12 weeks.
Without these, he will not regain movement in his fingers.
But, even if he completes the exercises, there is no guarantee of success, his parents said.
Daniel said: "There seems to be a bit of improvement but we are not out of the woods yet.
"There is the worry of long-term damage, both physically and mentally.
"We have to wash the wound every day but Oliver can't bear to look at it - there's clearly some emotional trauma.
"We don't know for sure how much movement Oliver will get back but we have to hope for the best."
He added: "We aren't saying don't go to the beach, or even don't skim stones - but just be careful.
"We have since found out a friend of ours had a similar incident, so it might not be as unlikely as it sounds.
"People should at least be aware of the risk."
