Parents are being urged to take extra care when supervising children on trampolines.

Over the last year, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn has treated 168 trampoline injuries, including 26 during the last month alone.

Emergency care consultant Dr Robert Florance said: 'Hospitals across the country are seeing an increase in trampoline-related injuries. Usually they have involved two people using a trampoline at the same time, with one being heavier than the other and causing an imbalance. We would urge parents to make sure they supervise trampoline use in accordance with the safety instructions given by the manufacturer.

'Any resulting injuries, which can range from sprains to broken limbs, are not only painful but can be uncomfortable to cope with while they are on the mend. No child wants to have a limb in plaster, especially during the summer, with all of the restrictions that imposes.'

In 2002, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents recorded some 4,200 trampoline accidents involving children across the country.