Girl, 7, killed by falling tree at park is pictured as family pay tribute to ‘light in their lives'
'LIGHT OF OUR LIVES Girl, 7, killed by falling tree at park is pictured as family pay tribute to 'light in their lives'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
TRIBUTES have flooded in for a little girl who was killed by a falling tree in a park while visiting with her family.
Seven-year-old Leonna Ruka, from East London, was visiting Southend in Essex for the day.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
1
Seven-year-old Leonna Ruka, from East London
Essex Police scrambled to the scene after the tree collapsed in popular Chalkwell Park, crushing a group of children.
A six-year-old girl, who was also caught under the tree as it fell, is still fighting for her life in hospital.
Three other children were also hospitalised with minor injuries.
Locals said the very old cedar tree had been propped up by metal supports for at least a decade and it was a "known danger".
More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Scots school violence epidemic laid bare as guns, knives and razor blades seized from kids
It comes amid a shocking rise in violence amongst youngsters CLASS WARS Scots school violence epidemic laid bare as guns, knives and razor blades seized from kids Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WEAPONS including guns and razor blades have been seized from kids in schools, it has emerged. Pupils in Aberdeen have been caught with more than 40 potentially deadly items on their person, including knives, BB guns, and multi-tools. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Amen Teklay was found with fatal injuries on Clarendon Street, Glasgow Credit: PA 5 Kayden Moy died following reports of a disturbance at a beach in Ayrshire Credit: PA 5 Scots schoolboy Kory McCrimmon was brutally stabbed to death in Glasgow Credit: Collect The alarming new figures come amid concerns about a rise in school violence and weapons seizures across Scotland. They were recorded since the start of 2024 and also show that 24 of the 43 confiscations took place at primary schools, with a butterfly training knife, pocket knife and a Stanley knife among the weapons found. And around half of all items seized involved knives, with lunch hall cutlery, scissors, corkscrew, sharpened sticks, nitrous oxide cannister, potato peeler, bottle opener, and a razor blade also discovered. In April, a 12-year-old girl was injured in an alleged knife attack at Aberdeen's Hazlehead Academy. The child was rushed to hospital for treatment and a 14-year-old girl was later charged. Knife crime has allegedly been linked to the recent deaths of schoolboy Amen Teklay, 15, East Kilbride lad Kayden Moy, 16, and Kory McCrimmon, 16, who was fatally stabbed in a Glasgow park. Last month, Parents Against Knives, founded by Kory's heartbroken family, led a march against blade violence. Despite horrendous conditions, Kory's family were undeterred in sending a message to Scotland's justice minister - and called for hope to be returned to the streets. The heavens opened as their Parents Against Knives procession kicked off after the youngster's dad Neil, 57, and mum Elizabeth, 44, were greeted by Rangers legend Mark Hateley at Ibrox before walking four miles to Celtic Park. The couple released a blue love-heart balloon with the words, 'love mum and dad' into the sky . They then unfurled a large banner emblazoned with their darling boy's picture and the words 'Parents Against Knives, Save Our Children'. The marchers carried on through the sodden streets to Celtic's ground, which sits right next to their home in the Barrowfield area of the city. Scottish Tory shadow justice secretary and North East MSP, Liam Kerr, said: 'The high number of weapons being brought into schools across Aberdeen is frightening. 'These appalling figures highlight the epidemic of violence in schools – and the woeful level of government support being given to tackle this weapon-carrying culture.' 5 Parents Against Knives walk from the Ibrox stadium to Parkhead in Glasgow Credit: PA
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
I went through boyfriend's phone and found explicit texts to another woman – how do I regain trust in him?
DEAR DEIDRE: ONE question confirmed what my instincts had told me about my boyfriend – that something was off. Completely out of the blue, he asked if I would ever be in an open relationship. When I questioned why he'd asked me, he claimed he had seen something on social media and wondered what I thought about it. Suspicious, I asked to check his phone, and he immediately became defensive. I am 33 and my boyfriend is 35. We have been together for 12 years and have two children, who are aged ten and nine. A couple of days after he'd asked me about an open relationship, I finally had the opportunity to go through his phone — and found explicit texts sent to another woman. He had clearly met up with her but when I confronted him, he said it had been so brief, it was hardly worth mentioning. Now I'm questioning everything. He won't take responsibility for anything and when I pushed for more answers, he got up and went to a friend's house for the evening. He obviously went to delete all the evidence, which was on social media. When he came home all the messages had disappeared. But he had forgotten to purge his email and I found he had also signed up to a dating site. I created a fake profile and found his. It stated he lived in a shared house and implied he was single. Relationships, jealousy and envy While I am trying my best to get past this and build trust, because he has deleted everything, there is more to this than meets the eye. His betrayal has really hurt me. I am struggling to move past this. How do I regain trust in him? DEIDRE SAYS: Discovering that your partner has cheated can feel like your world has imploded. He is trying to downplay his betrayal but don't let him off the hook. This has deeply hurt you and unless he faces up to his disloyal behaviour, it will be impossible for you to genuinely move on. You still love him, so tell him how you feel and ask him to work on your relationship together. My support pack Cheating, Can you Get Over It? can help. Couple's counselling would also be very helpful but he has to be open and honest about what he did in order for you to be able to move on. Find a counsellor at Tavistock Relationships ( 020 7380 1975). Get in touch with Deidre Every problem gets a personal reply, usually within 24 hours weekdays. Send an email to deardeidre@ You can also send a private message on the DearDeidreOfficial Facebook page. IT'S SO HARD TO COPE WITH DAUGHTER'S MELTDOWNS DEAR DEIDRE: My daughter is showing signs of autism and is on a waiting list to be assessed. I am struggling to cope with the angry outbursts which happen randomly. I am her 35-year-old mum and she is ten. Recently I took her to the doctor, who suggested she might be autistic. This came like a bolt out of the blue. She has had a few behavioural problems, but it didn't really cross my mind that she might be autistic. I love her but sometimes I feel so helpless. My partner, her dad, left us when my daughter was five. When she has a meltdown I struggle because I can't get through to her at all. She can be so difficult, but she is OK at school. My parents work and live miles away. The lack of sleep is making me impatient, and I feel so guilty and a failure. DEIDRE SAYS: You're not a failure. You're doing your best. A diagnosis of autism can come as a shock to most parents at first, and as a single parent you will feel particularly alone, with no one to share it with. When she has a meltdown, stay calm and keep her safe. You can't always prevent meltdowns but letting her wear headphones to listen to calming music, turning down lights, and distraction techniques such as focus toys, may help her. Also, see the National Autistic Society's website for information and support ( I PICKED WRONG EX, NOW I'M ALONE DEAR DEIDRE: LEAVING my girlfriend to get back with my ex-wife has backfired. When I arrived on her doorstep, my ex-wife's face fell and she bluntly told me she had 'company'. She told me there is no chance for us in her mind. I'm 59, she is 57 and we have got two grown-up sons. We grew apart and got into a rut. When I split up with her originally, she was very upset but I stuck to my guns. I moved on quickly and met my girlfriend. She's 54. Things were great between us. But one day we'd both had too much to drink and had a silly fall-out. She kept going on that I still loved my ex-wife. I think I started to believe it. Still, I was so annoyed with my then girlfriend I didn't even bother to try to put things right. Eventually she told me I had given her no choice but to end our relationship. Now my ex-wife won't even have me. I feel like a total fool. DEIDRE SAYS: Being rejected is painful but your ex sounds as though her mind is made up. If she's unwilling to mend things, it's best you try to move on. When either relationship hit challenges you were quick to walk away. If you are going to build a healthy relationship in the future it's important to learn to work through differences. That way you learn from each other. My pack Mend Your Broken Heart will help. DRINKING HABIT RUINING MY LIFE DEAR DEIDRE: WHILE I am not dependent on alcohol, I go on binges that can last up to four days at a time. During them, I don't eat or look after myself. I have been like this since I was 20. I am 35 now. Not a weekend goes by where I don't get completely obliterated with cider or wine. I drink to the point where I black out and have big memory-loss gaps. It is destroying both my physical and mental health. After saying some nasty things to my family while drunk, I have fallen out with them. Despite the fact I didn't mean any of it, they won't forgive me. I am feeling so isolated. Recently I moved to the north of England from Wales and don't know anyone, so I drink to try to make myself feel better and to numb how I am feeling. As I am relatively new to this area, I don't have a GP I can discuss this with. Alcohol also makes me very impulsive. I have little recollection of the things I have done when I come out of a binge. I would love to get sober. I understand the negative impact alcohol has on me but at the same time, it helps me numb the bad way I feel at times. But it is slowly destroying me as a person. DEIDRE SAYS: Now that you have recognised you have a problem, you can really get the support you need. Binge-drinking is particularly dangerous, as you are at risk of a serious accident as well as alcohol poisoning. Find a GP in your area as soon as you can and please be assured there is a lot of help available. We Are With You can assist you with taking your first steps to a healthier and happier lifestyle ( My pack on drinking gives more information and details of other organisations to turn to.
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Brazen migrants back on delivery bikes just 24 hours after immigration cops raid their asylum hotel
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MIGRANTS jumped back on food delivery bikes yesterday — 24 hours after immigration officers raided their hotel. One appeared to pedal off on rounds with a Deliveroo bag strapped to an electric bike. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 One migrant appeared to pedal off on rounds with a Deliveroo bag 5 The man was seen just 24 hours after an immigration officers' raid on their hotel Credit: Ray Collins Hours later a second young man in a blue hoodie was seen hopping on a bike with a Just Eat container. On Monday, over 20 officers in stab vests swooped on the Barbican Thistle Hotel and arrested asylum seekers suspected of working illegally while housed and fed by the taxpayer. The operation, triggered by a Sun investigation, saw officers confiscating phones and an electric bike. But bikes hidden behind a screen were not seized. A business owner said: 'The moment the cops left, they are back at it. READ MORE UK NEWS TRAGIC LEONNA Girl, 7, killed by tree at park is pictured as family pay tribute 'I thought they'd take away the bikes then they would not carry on. 'Last weekend one resident chucked a TV from the third-floor on a car. 'We just want our street back.' A migrant questioned on Monday told The Sun yesterday: 'I did not give them my papers. "I said I'm not working for the delivery drivers. 'My English is not good enough. Undercover delivery driver investigation 5 Cops question a Just Eat rider returning from a shift in London on Monday 5 Police made a number of arrests for illegal working and breaching bail conditions 5 A masked rider challenges a cop about his rights Credit: Chris Eades 'I was told it was okay to go back to the hotel." This week we revealed migrants can earn £1,000 a week on apps like Deliveroo within hours of reaching the UK.
