Girl (7) dies after bouncy castle blows away

A seven-year-old girl died after she was blown around 150 metres on a bouncy castle which is thought to have been swept away by a sudden gust of wind at an Easter fair.

Families had gathered at Harlow Town Park in Essex on Saturday for the third day of the event organised by Thurston fun fairs over the holiday weekend.

A man and a woman, understood to be from the family-run bouncy castle firm, have been arrested by police on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence.

East of England Ambulance Service said crews were called to Harlow Town Park shortly after 4pm to reports that a girl had been seriously injured when the bouncy castle she was on blew "some distance" away.

The girl was treated by ambulance crews and the Herts and Essex air ambulance and taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital, where she later died.

Tributes have been laid at the scene of the fair, which is now closed as police and the Health and Safety Executive investigate.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “Our thoughts are with the friends and family involved on this sad day.”

A spokeswoman for the Health and Safety Executive said it was assisting police.

Last year a bouncy castle collapsed while children were playing on it during a funfair in the park.

Harlow Council officers visited the site following the incident last May and suggested a number of health and safety improvements, including better stewarding of the event.

It was reported at the time that three children had to be treated by paramedics when the inflatable castle collapsed on them.

PA