Schoolboy left with paralysed hand after skimming stones at Hastings beach

Oliver Quarte, from Hastings, was throwing stones into the water while on a family trip to their local beach on August 25.

After a stone hit the concrete pier, a shard bounced back towards the nine-year-old, slicing his hand open.

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The tendon to his middle finger was completely severed while several other fingers were seriously damaged.

Oliver Quarte has been left with a paralysed hand after he sliced its tendons while skimming stones at the beach

His parents, Daniel and Bianca Quarte, were watching from a nearby restaurant when they heard Oliver’s screams.

He was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery, where doctors discovered he was partially paralysed.

Doctors hope that Oliver will be able to gain movement in his fingers with intense physiotherapy.

Father Daniel said the inch-long gash was so deep it severed several tendons and caused his sons fingers to lose movement.

"We were suddenly filled with terror and my wife rushed to see him,” he said.

"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."

All of the tendon controlling his middle finger had been cut, as well as up to 30 per cent damage to the tendons either side.

Oliver Quarte has been left with a paralysed hand after he sliced its tendons while skimming stones at the beach

After spending the night at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, specialist surgeons made a four-inch long cut to repair the damage.

Oliver had dozens of stitches before being discharged with a heavily bandaged arm.

The schoolboy now has a set of hand exercises to complete three times a day for 12 weeks if he ever hopes to regain movement in his fingers.

Daniel said the family have been warned there is no guarantee of success.

“There seems to be a bit of improvement, but we are not out of the woods yet,” he said. "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.

Oliver Quarte with his parents Daniel and Bianca Quarte

"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."

Bianca and Daniel, both 43, are warning others of the risks of the seemingly harmless activity.

"As soon as we heard Oliver's scream, we felt terror and my heart stopped when my wife mouthed 'hospital' after seeing his hand,” he said.

"I realised this was a potentially life-changing injury. We want to warn other parents. We aren't saying don't go to the beach, or even don't skim stones - but just be careful.”