Anger as foot injury led to loss of toe

A ROUTINE doctor's appointment turned into a living nightmare for a Runcorn dad after a seemingly minor injury spiralled out of control.

- BY WESLEY HOLMES

Colin Rotherham, 62, was attending a podiatrist appointment in January 2023 when he felt a "sharp pain" and later discovered a cut on the second toe of his right foot.

The appointment took place at the Castlefield and St Paul's Health Centre, part of Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, in January 2023.

Colin, who was diagnosed with diabetes in the 1980s and attends regular foot checkups as a result, said: "On this particular occasion I had gone into the podiatrist at the health centre. The next minute I felt this sharp pain. I said, 'What was that?! She kept her head down and kept going.

"When I got home, I made myself a cup of coffee, took my shoes off, and my daughter's dog was sat looking at me, wagging his tail. He was at my feet and when I looked down, my sock was covered in blood."

Concerned that he may have been cut during his appointment and worried about infection risks linked to diabetes, the dad of two visited his GP the next day and was prescribed antibiotics.

Over the following weeks and months, he attended regular podiatry appointments during which staff cleaned and dressed his wound. However, he continued to complain of pain and observed that his blood sugar levels had spiked.