MP calls for bouncy castle ban after child’s death

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An MP has called for bouncy castles in public areas to be banned temporarily after the death of a girl in Norfolk.

The little girl, who has not been named, was thrown 20ft in the air from the castle on Gorleston beach on Sunday morning.

She died of her injuries in hospital.

Robert Halfon, the Conservative MP for Harlow, Essex – where seven-year-old Summer Grant was killed when a bouncy castle blew free from its moorings in 2016 – wants politicians to consider a temporary ban.

He said on Twitter: “After two horrific tragedies, government need to look at update of regulations and inspection regime and consider a temporary ban on bouncy castles in public areas until we can be sure that they are safe.”

Mr Halfon has written to the speaker of the House of Commons requesting an urgent question on the matter on Monday.

A police cordon was in place following the incident
Image: A police cordon was in place following the incident

Sarah Allard, who was at the scene, said she heard a loud bang as the bouncy castle “exploded” and propelled a girl 20ft into the air.

She said a lifeguard did CPR for around 15 minutes at the scene before paramedics arrived.

Two inflatables had been set up and the beach was particularly busy, with weekend temperatures more than 21C.

“A lot of people hadn’t known what had happened,” Ms Allard said. “It was desperately horrible and sad.”

A windbreaker was placed around the girl as medics fought to save her, according to Sky News correspondent Joe Tidy who was at the scene this afternoon.

The East of England Ambulance Service said it received more than a dozen calls about the incident.

“Several of our teams were dispatched, with the first on scene in four minutes,” they said in a statement.

“The young female was seriously injured and in cardiac arrest on our arrival, and was conveyed to James Paget Hospital. Sadly, despite all the of the efforts and interventions, she was pronounced deceased.”

Norfolk Constabulary, which was called to Gorleston’s Lower Esplanade at around 11.15am, said a joint investigation into the incident had been set up between the Health and Safety Executive, local authority and police.

“A police cordon has been put in place at the scene whilst enquiries continue.” a statement said.

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The incident happened on a popular Norfolk beach
Image: The incident happened on a popular Norfolk beach

In May two fairground workers were found guilty of gross negligent manslaughter after a seven-year-old girl was killed when the bouncy castle she was playing on blew away in the wind.

Summer Grant, from Norwich, was seriously injured when the inflatable was sent “cartwheeling” 300 yards down a hill in Harlow, Essex in March 2016.

From – SkyNews

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