Young boy, 4, was killed by falling garden post

A SCHOOLBOY was killed instantly when a heavy garden post collapsed on top of him, an inquest heard.

Four-year-old Leopold Mercer was swinging on an iron gate in his garden with a friend after football practice when tragedy struck.

His parents Maria Frickel and Jason Mercer heard another child scream and knew something was wrong, Worcestershire Coroner’s Court was told.

The couple frantically tried resuscitating him in vain before emergency crews arrived at their home in Hanbury village, near Bromsgrove.

West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedics and Midlands Air Ambulance doctors continued CPR, but with no response after 42 minutes, the child was declared dead at the scene on September 18. It came weeks after he’d enjoyed starting his first days at school.

Leopold’s mother described to the court how she had driven the two boys back from Sunday football practice when they got out of the car and were hanging on an iron gate next to the drive. Moments later, a concrete post fell on top of the toddler’s head.

A post-mortem examination found Leopold died due to a traumatic head and neck injury.

Ms Frickel said in a statement to the court: “Leopold had only been at school a couple of weeks and was a happy, outgoing little boy. On the driveway, there is a run of pillars in a half circle and one pillar has a garden gate attached to it.

“The boys got out of the car and went over to play. I’d just moved the car onto the grass when I heard the other child scream ‘Leo’ and could tell from the sound of it that something was wrong. I ran round and saw him under the pillar that had fallen. It was so heavy, I wasn’t able to move it.”

Maria recalled how Mr Mercer ran from the house and struggled to lift the pillar off his son before starting CPR while she dialled 999.

“It wasn’t long until I heard a helicopter and sirens but everything from then on is pretty blurred,” added the mother. The other child suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital to be checked.

Coroner David Reid recorded a verdict of death as a result of an accident.