A seven-year-old girl has died and a six-year-old girl is in a critical condition after a tree fell in a park in Essex over the weekend.
Three more children received minor injuries and received hospital treatment after the tree fell in Chalkwell Park, Southend-on-Sea, shortly before 3pm on Saturday.
Dozens of people saw the incident and rushed to try and lift the tree, a witness said.
Essex Police said in an update on Sunday that the six-year-old girl in critical condition is “receiving urgent and around-the-clock care surrounded by her family”.
Assistant Chief Constable Lucy Morris said the child’s condition is “still very serious”.
“We are continuing an investigation into the circumstances around the collapse of the tree,” she added.
The force is urging members of the public who witnessed the incident to contact the investigative team.
She also thanked those who assisted the children.
“I would like to repeat our praise for the numerous members of the public and all first responders who rushed to the aid of these children,” she said.
“Your actions were remarkable and they are not lost on any of us.”
Specialist police officers are continuing to support the seven-year-old’s family.
The park remains open to the public, and a cordon is in place while police carry out enquiries.
An area of the park has been marked by the police for people to lay flowers and leave tributes.
Accountant Ishan Madan, 39, from Westcliff-on-Sea, was playing in a cricket match nearby when he heard a “horrendous, screeching scream”.
He said: “Everyone ran towards the clubhouse, where the tree is.
“The tree had snapped and I think there were four children, the fifth one was slightly further away, I think she’d be hit by a branch.
“Two of them were under a smaller branch, they were rescued easily, and unfortunately, the other two girls, they were stuck under this massive tree.
“So we got bystanders to help, it must have been 40 to 50 people who then tried to lift the fallen tree up and to our horror, these two little girls, poor girls, were stuck underneath it.
“Their mother was on the corner. It was horrendous.”
Mr Madan continued: “It was like a nightmare that you’d sort of wake up from and then someone would tell you it wasn’t true. You couldn’t imagine kids walking in the park and something like this happening.”
MP for Southend West and Leigh, David Burton-Sampson, said: “The news of the sad death of one of the children involved in the incident at Chalkwell Park today is truly devastating.
“I am sure I reflect the thoughts of all our residents here in Southend in sending my deepest condolences to the child’s family and friends.
“My thoughts are also with the other children injured and I wish them a full and speedy recovery.
“At the time of the incident, the park was very busy and a number of people witnessed what happened.”
Chalkwell Park is a recreational ground that covers 27 hectares and contains a number of flower gardens, two children’s playgrounds, a skate park, and football, cricket, basketball and tennis grounds.
