A Keighley boy broke his shoulder after falling off a cliff into a quarry while on a Sea Cadet activity.

Sea Cadet bosses have denied responsibility for the accident involving Joseph Smith, 12, of Woodhouse Cres-cent. It happened on Saturday evening.

But his mother Sharon says her son cannot be blamed, even though he disobeyed orders and climbed under a fence separating the quarry from a footpath. She says: "I didn't even know he was out. He was supposed to be inside the Sea Cadet headquarters doing exams all weekend."

Mrs Smith says she is confused about exactly what happened during the incident in the woods above Parkwood.

Joseph was one of a number of youngsters taking part in an activity weekend at the Sea Cadet's town centre base.

Commanding officer Marg-aret Jones and fellow leaders decided to take the children out on an evening walk in Park Wood.

She says: "We let the cadets go their own way. They were told not to climb trees or run around or go in any prohibited areas."

Lt Jones says Joseph ran past her and was told by two officers to slow down. Soon afterwards a senior cadet told her there had been an accident. Lt Jones climbed down to Joseph and held him to ensure he could not fall further. Paramedics and firemen treated the boy and took him away on a stretcher.

Lt Jones says: "There were four adults up there - one to each five youngsters. Nobody was to blame. It was an accident. There will be an investigation."

Joseph admits climbing under a cliff-top fence that separates the footpath from the quarry used by Keighley Rifle Club as a shooting range.

He says: "I slipped and fell down. There had been two boys chasing me - we were playing tig."

Joseph's mother says her son had to have two steel prongs put into his shoulder and will be off school for at least six weeks. She says: "I've heard two versions of what happened. How can they blame Joseph? Kids are kids - he's only 12."

But Sea Cadets chairman Gladys Briggs this week backed up Lt Jones, calling her a 'fantastic officer' and saying she did everything right.

Mrs Briggs adds: "In a nutshell, the little boy didn't do what he was told. If one cadet disobeys an order then that's it."

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