A man who cut his leg when he fell into a lake died after developing a rare flesh-eating bacterial infection.
Ben Smith-Crallan, 37, developed Necrotising Fasciitis (NF) - sometimes referred to as the 'flesh-eating disease' - after he fell into a lake and cut his leg at Botanic Gardens in the Churchtown area of Southport, Merseyside.
He went to his GP a few days later when he noticed a blister on his leg, which he initially mistook for gout, but the infection quickly worsened and doctors placed Mr Smith-Crallan into a coma.
The 37-year-old, from Southport, had to have his leg amputated before he died from the infection in June 2018.
His father, Peter Smith-Crallan, has now launched an appeal for railings to be built around the lake and water aeration fountains to be installed in the water in an effort to save others.
Ben Smith-Crallan (centre with father Peter and sister Nina), 37, developed Necrotising Fasciitis (NF) after he fell into a lake and cut his leg at Botanic Gardens in the Churchtown area of Southport, Merseyside
The infection first caused a blister to appear on Mr Smith-Crallan's leg and as his condition worsened doctors placed the 37-year-old into a coma
Mr Smith-Crallan said: 'If railings had been in place around the lake when Ben fell in, then my son wouldn't have died.
'What happened to Ben would not have happened. Why have railings not been put up before now?
'What happened to Ben, I don't want to see that happen to any other family.
'They need to put railings around the lake and take regular water samples. The water in there is so bad that drowning there would be the least of your worries.
'The lake needs cleaning up, and water aeration fountains put in. That lake has not been touched for the last 40 years.
'How many people visit that park every year? 100,000? You can't take a gamble with their safety.'
Mr Smith-Crallan said that his son first mistook the infection for gout when he decided to go to see his GP.
He said: 'A few days later, I took Ben to the Roe Lane GP Surgery in Southport. He had big blisters on his leg. I didn't think anything was seriously wrong.
'I dropped him off there and said I would pick him up after his appointment.
'But the next time I saw him, he was lying in a hospital bed with 15 tubes in him.'
The 37-year-old's father and his family are now urging as many people as possible to support the Make A Change For Ben campaign, which wants to see the lake cleaned and safety measures such as water aeration fountains installed.
The group was set up by Mr Smith-Crallan's best friend, David Rawsthorne, and has already gained over 4,000 supporters through Facebook.
It has attracted nine celebrity supporters including Liverpool FC legend Alan Hansen, Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts and golfer Tommy Fleetwood and raised over £10,000 towards vital safety work being carried out.
The Make A Change For Ben campaign is determined to ensure that the lake is made safe for all the tens of thousands of families who visit the park every year.
Mr Smith-Crallan said: 'I think it is brilliant what David and the Make A Change For Ben campaign have achieved so far. He has done superbly well to get so many local people and so many celebrities
