A mum has issued a warning after she broke her toddler's leg by going down a playground slide together.

Amelia Zamora, 33, slid down with her two-year-old daughter Scarlett on her lap.

But their combined weight saw the toddler travel down the steep slope at excessive speed - more than if she was alone - and they shot off the end with extra force.

Scarlett smashed into the ground and her thigh bone was snapped in half. She had to wear a full body cast and had to re-learn to walk.

Amelia from Sacramento, California, said she was wracked with "mum guilt" and is warning other parents to never ride a slide with a child on their lap."

The mum-of-two said: "After Scarlett broke her leg she was crying so much from the pain."

"She couldn’t move or sleep because of it."

"Once she got the cast on she would ask 'why do I have to wear this mummy?' It was heartbreaking."

"I had such bad mum guilt. I blamed myself - I should have told her 'no' when she asked to go down the slide with me."

"It was a lot mentally and emotionally for me as well as her."

"I want to warn other parents now - don't go down the slide with them and don't think it won't happen to you."

"It can, and for me, it did - and I can tell you it's not worth watching your kid in that much pain."

The accident happened in April 2018 when Scarlett begged Amelia to join her on the slide.

They shot down faster than the toddler would have on her own, and Amelia was able to put her feet down to prevent her weight crushing Scarlett.

But Scarlett still crashed down, landing on one knee on the concrete floor.

Amelia, a content creator and stay at home mum, said: "She was crying and screaming and scared but it didn't look broken at the time until it started swelling."

"She wouldn't put any weight on it for the rest of the day."

"It wasn't until we got home that day I spoke to my husband and we decided we'd get it checked out, for our peace of mind."

She says her and her husband were quizzed at the hospital because the bone is so difficult to break it is often associated with abuse, she claims.

The next day Scarlett was put in a cast from her ribcage to her ankle on one side, and to her knee on her good leg.

She had to be pulled around in a wagon until it was removed a month later.

Amelia said: "Day to day was exhausting. She would get frustrated because she couldn’t move and play like she used to."

Six years on, Scarlett, now eight, barely remembers the traumatic experience - but Amelia still remembers the event with total clarity and warns others.

She said parents worry about their kids legs getting stuck during joint rides - but not about other dangers, like speed.

She said: "I blamed myself. I had such mum guilt."

"I shared our story to show it's not worth it. Even if you think you can ensure your child's leg won't get caught it can still cause an injury."

"Let your child have a tantrum at the park - I'd rather break my kid's heart than their leg."

"They'll get over not riding the slide - it's not worth having to watch your kid in that much pain."