Schoolgirl crushed by falling tree in playground

A SCHOOLGIRL was killed and several others injured when a falling tree crushed them in a primary school playground yesterday. Witnesses said heavy weather may have caused the accident at West Ashtead school in Surrey.

Police said one girl received serious injuries, another sustained head injuries and three others were slightly hurt. The incident happened at about 12.15pm at the 317-pupil primary school near Leatherhead.

Surrey Fire Service said two crews and a rescue tender had gone to the scene after reports of children trapped under the tree.

A spokeswoman for Surrey Ambulance Service said one girl was taken to Epsom General Hospital with a leg injury, while an air ambulance from London was also taking casualties.

John Lane, a spokesman for Surrey Ambulance Service, said: “I can confirm there was a fatality. A tree fell, trapping two children, one of them being the fatality. Another girl was hurt, with leg injuries.

“There were four other children taken to Epsom General Hospital with minor injuries,” he said.

The ambulance spokesman said the girl had been confirmed dead at the scene after suffering multiple injuries.

It is thought she was eight or nine years old and was among a group of classmates queuing up to go back into afternoon lessons when the tree fell.

Fire and ambulance crews worked to free the two girls trapped by the tree in the playground. The other girl had an ankle injury and was taken to Epsom General Hospital.

Four ambulance crews and police were at the scene comforting the other schoolchildren traumatised by the accident. An air ambulance was also called in to the school from London.