Dad warns others after suffering injury from pigeon spikes at Liscard McDonald’s

On Friday, August 26 at around midday Daniel Cooper sat in the Liscard McDonald’s outside seating area with his 10-month-old.

While he waited for his partner, who was inside the restaurant speaking with her former manager, Daniel said he got the “fright of his life” after pigeon spikes fell from the building above.

Daniel, 26, told the Globe: “It was a nice day so I thought I’d sit outside with my son and I had only been waiting for around five minutes.

2McDonald's 4/30 Liscard Wy, Liscard, Wallasey CH44 5TP

“Next minute I suddenly felt something come crashing down onto my back and when I looked to see what it was I realised it was pigeon spikes.”

Daniel was left with scratches and cuts on his back after the injury but he said his main concern was his son.

He said: “It fell pretty hard from that height and they are very sharp metal so it did hurt me pretty badly but I was more concerned that it was centimeters from hitting my baby on the head.

The cuts Daniel sustained from the pigeon spikes

“Luckily I was leaning forward so it caught my back but if it hadn’t been the spikes would have gone into my head.

“It didn’t hit me until afterward how dangerous it was. I had never experienced anything like it in my life.”

Daniel went inside McDonald’s to inform his partner and the manager about what had just happened.

He said: “When I told the manager what had happened they just put the spikes in the bin and offered me free food but I told them it’s not good enough.

“They then offered me to fill out the accident book but told me I didn’t have to if I didn’t want to.”

Daniel, who also works in a different McDonald’s, said he was shocked at the lack of reaction to the incident.

He said: “I know by law it’s a legal requirement that accidents have to be logged I shouldn’t have been given a choice.”

Daniel said the incident has left a "mental impact" on him.

He said: “It’s not just the psychical attribute of things it’s the mental impact it’s had on me too.

Daniel Cooper, 26, from Liscard with his partner Phally Wharton and 10-month-old son

“I feel on edge when I go out and sit outside now because I’m worried about something falling on us.

“I keep replaying it in my head but with the worst-case scenario. If it hit the baby, it could have killed him the spikes are that sharp. It doesn’t even bear thinking about.

“I work night shifts in a different McDonald’s and I can’t do my job properly because my back hurts and I’m in so much agony.”

Since the accident, Daniel said he has received no communication from the company or the manager who he spoke with.

He said: “They said it was the landlord's fault because they rent the building but I’ve heard nothing back. I didn’t even get an apology.

“It just felt like they weren’t bothered. It was as though they couldn’t care less and they just tried to offer us free food and get us out.

“It’s upsetting to think that something could have harmed your baby and they haven’t even checked to see if we are okay.”

Daniel now hopes to warn other people who may use the outside seating area to think twice before sitting there.

He said: “McDonald’s own that outside seating area and it’s still open for people to sit down in despite there being more spikes that could fall down.

“It could happen to someone else. They have a duty of care and a restaurant full of children. It’s awful.”

A spokesperson from McDonald’s told the Globe: “We are very sorry to hear about this customer's experience and investigations into exactly what happened are ongoing.

“Our restaurant team responded quickly, providing aid and support to the family involved whilst recording details of the accident.

“We have since contacted our landlord to request the area is secured and all necessary repairs are undertaken to ensure the safety of our customers and employees.

“We would encourage the customer to contact our Customer Services team so we can keep them updated as work progresses.”

The Globe contacted the landlord for a comment.