Tragedy as girl, 7, dies and others injured after tree collapses in park
A seven-year-old girl has died and a six-year-old girl is fighting for her life in hospital after a tree collapsed in an Essex park.
Emergency services raced to Chalkwell Park in Southend-on-Sea just before 3pm on Saturday. Three more children received minor injuries and were treated in hospital.
Chief Superintendent Leighton Hammett of Essex Police said: "Families are facing unimaginable hardship this evening and all of our thoughts are with them at this time.
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"I cannot begin to put into words how difficult today's events have been, and continue to be, for them."
"It's also not lost on me how traumatic it must have been for the members of the public who witnessed this awful incident."
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Residents speaking to EssexLive have said they were left in shock following the unexpected incident earlier today, with one saying the park in which it took place is typically "very busy with families".
They said: 'I saw the helicopters and wondered what was happening. It's all very sad. It's very busy with families here. I cross here with my bike every time. The tree was very secure. I do not know how this happens. It has big stands, holding the arms of the tree. I wonder how this must have happened.
"There was something there keeping it in place already. I saw the helicopter and knew something serious had happened, but I thought it was just a fight.'
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