So tragic... Ava-May, 3, victim of inflatable trampoline explosion
THE three-year-old girl killed when a bouncy castle exploded was last night named as AvaMay Littleboy.
Her distraught mother Chloe, 25, had cried out and onlookers tried to help as the child was catapulted 20ft into the air.
Police believe that the inflatable trampoline she was playing on burst in the heat.
Aunt Laura Reid, 28, led tributes to the little girl, writing on Facebook: “I will love you always and for ever.
“Sleep tight my little angel. My everything my princess! Until I see you again my heart is broken.”
Police confirmed that AvaMay from Somersham, Suffolk, had been alone on the Bounce About attraction at Gorleston, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Supt Roger Wiltshire from Norfolk Police said: “My understanding is that the mother had a conversation with the stall holder and the child went on the equipment.
“The trampoline was designed just for one person to use and she was the only person there at the time.
“As far as I understand her mother was watching nearby.”
He added: “I am a dad myself and I cannot imagine what the family are going through.”
Tory MP Robert Halfon yesterday called for a temporary ban on bouncy castles.
Summer Grant, seven, died in his constituency of Harlow, Essex in 2016 when a badly moored attraction broke free in high winds.
Councils announced they are carrying out urgent safety inspections on all other inflatable attractions in the area.
Curt Johnson, 47, owner of the Bounce About attraction said: “We are in complete shock and send our deepest condolences to the family. We are in bits and totally devastated, we can’t sleep, can’t eat, feel sick to the core.”
Witness Zoe Dye, 32, said: “I had just taken a picture of my daughter laughing and smiling in the sand when there was a massive explosion.”
She added: “We turned round and saw this little girl flying 20ft into the air.
“It was so loud that my daughter thought it must have been a bomb.
“People were screaming and running over to help.
“They were trying their hardest to catch her as she fell. It was just instinct to try and grab her. It was absolutely horrific.”
A 91-year-old man said: “She shot way up into the air.
“The mother ran up just screaming and crying for help ”
Messages of condolence, flowers and cuddly toys were left at the scene yesterday.
One note read “RIP Little Angel, So So Sad”, while another said “Rest in Paradise Little One”.
Another tribute read: “Taken too soon, thinking of all your family, such a sad loss, sleep tight Angel”.
Lifeguards at the nearby RNLI hut were flying their flag at half mast in memory of the little girl.
Another aunt of Ava-May announced plans to raise funds for a memorial to the child.
Abbie Littleboy, 21, said: “Me and our family would like to build a memorial bench for our little Ava.
In a crowdfunding appeal post, she wrote: “Please take a read of our story and help raise money for our beautiful angel.
“Her family would like to kindly ask for donations to help fund a child’s bench in memory of Ava that will be put in her local park.”