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The Telegraph
The Telegraph
National
Ewan Somerville

Ukrainian girl, 14, dies after being found on Devon beach

The girl was found unconscious on Dawlish Beach in Devon (file image) - iStockphoto
The girl was found unconscious on Dawlish Beach in Devon (file image) - iStockphoto

A Ukrainian teenager who came to the UK as a refugee has died after being found unconscious on a Devon beach.

The body of a 14-year-old girl was recovered from the beach of the seaside town of Dawlish on Saturday evening. 

Devon and Cornwall Police said the girl was airlifted to hospital but later died. The death is being treated as unexplained.

It is understood she had fled Ukraine with her mother last year and was initially taken in by a local family. The girl is believed to have been in Year 9 at Dawlish College which has just over 500 pupils aged 11 to 16.

Lisa Mayne, the mayor of Dawlish, said the town was in shock over the death.

“It’s absolutely devastating for people,” she said. “You can’t put it properly into words, how it is going to affect our Ukrainian community here.

“They have come here to find safety and now they have to come to terms with a terrible tragedy like this.

“It’s dreadfully sad. Her family needs time to grieve and find out what happened.”

Dawlish College did not respond to a request for comment, but an email to parents on Monday confirmed the death of a pupil and said grieving students would be given extra support.

One parent said: “My daughter’s in the year above. I think there are several Ukrainian students at the school.

“It’s just so heartbreaking, I just can’t imagine what her family must be going through.”

On Sunday afternoon, a police forensics van was parked immediately opposite an underpass leading from Dawlish railway station to the beach as detectives trawled businesses’ CCTV, doorbell cameras and made house-to-house enquiries.

Angela Wood, owner of Coast to Coast, said: “I'm shocked and saddened. There are quite a few Ukrainian families here.

“As a mother, it is just very sad. It’s really tragic. When you think of all the trauma they have already gone through it’s heartbreaking.”

Officers said the Ukrainian Embassy and the Home Office had also been made aware of the death.

Det Insp Becky Davies, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “Localised searches took place with support from the police helicopter and coastguard and an unconscious person was found on Dawlish beach.

“She was subsequently airlifted to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, where she later sadly died.

“This death is currently being treated as unexplained and enquiries continue as to the circumstances surrounding this death.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the teenage girl at this tragic time.”

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