Eight children hurt in fall from inflatable slide
EIGHT children were injured last night after falling from an inflatable slide at a fireworks display.
Emergency services declared a “significant incident” at the event at Woking Park, Surrey, after the attraction was reported to have collapsed, resulting in several children being taken to major trauma centres.
Some of the injured were transported to hospital by air ambulance, and last night several were understood to be in a serious condition with a mixture of spinal and neck injuries, as well as broken arms and legs.
The event was abandoned as thousands of spectators were evacuated from the site to allow the air ambulance to land. Witnesses said they heard “horrible screams” and saw emergency staff treating patients.
Oliver Trimble, 27, a producer from Woking, told The
Sunday Telegraph he witnessed the aftermath as he was being evacuated. “We were evacuated via the funfair and I did see a lot people injured.
“We were told by support staff that a man had fallen [from the inflatable slide] and that several people were injured. We could see them being treated by emergency services. There were some really horrible screams from a younger person, who was clearly in a lot of pain.”
Initial reports suggested a helter skelter had collapsed, but police later clarified it was an inflatable slide. Witnesses said the incident occurred around 7.50pm, just before the fireworks in a different area of the park.
Mr Trimble added that the evacuation had been carried out “smoothly”, and that the air ambulance had circled overhead for around 10 minutes as staff cleared the park.
Anna Neale, 36, a local musician, said she had planned to take her daughters, aged 10 and six, on the slide after the fireworks.
She said: “I am very grateful my children didn’t go on it. I hope everyone is OK.”
Andy Datson, 23, said he saw ambulances, “a lot of worried people” and what appeared to be children on the ground. “If, heaven forbid, they fell from the top I would say it’s at least 25-30ft tall,” he said.
A statement from Surrey Police said: “A number of children fell from the slide and were injured. Eight children have been taken to hospital by South East Coast Ambulance Service with potentially serious injuries.”
A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said that “initial enquiries” were being made.