Boy aged seven falls to his death as he rides museum steam engine
Park evacuated as family fun day turns to tragedy
A BOY of seven died yesterday after falling from the trailer of a steam-powered traction engine at an open-air museum.
The youngster, who has not been named, had been enjoying a ride on the vintage vehicle when the accident happened.
Emergency services arrived at Beamish museum, near Stanley, County Durham, just before 3pm.
But the child suffered serious head injuries and died at the scene.
The award-winning museum, which has working trams and other old-fashioned machines driving around its grounds, was packed with families enjoying the good weather and the first weekend of the school holidays.
It was immediately closed and evacuated after the accident.
Last night police refused to confirm speculation that the boy’s father worked at the museum and had been driving the vehicle.
The driver was taken to University Hospital of North Durham by paramedics and treated for shock.
Inspector Stephen Dowdle, of Durham Constabulary, said: ‘A sevenyear-old boy had been involved in an incident with a steam traction engine and trailer and had been pronounced dead at the scene.
‘He appeared to have suffered serious head injuries.
‘The engine driver was taken to hospital suffering from shock. He will be spoken to by police at an appropriate time and is being treated as a witness.
‘The identities of those involved are not being released, but it is under-
‘Deeply devastated’
stood that neither of them were visitors to the museum.
‘Detectives and road policing officers are at the scene to establish exactly what took place.’
Police were carrying out a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive, he added.
The museum’s director Richard Evans said: ‘ We are naturally very shocked and our thoughts are with the boy’s family at this time.
‘We made an immediate decision to close the museum as we support the joint investigation.’
The museum, which goes by the full title of the Living Museum of the North, opened in its current form in 1970 and aims to recreate life as it was in 1913.
Its thousands of objects and original, replica and relocated buildings are based on the early 20th century, late Victorian period and the Industrial Revolution of 1825.
They include a replica town, village, railway station and farm which helps preserve traditional and rare livestock breeds, as well as a mid-19th century drift mine. The museum has won several awards, including the Sandford Award for Heritage Education 2011 and Living Museum of the Year in 2000, 2002 and 2004.
In 1986 it was named British Museum of the Year and the following year was crowned European Museum of the Year. Its supporters include Art Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Staff in period costume and visisomething tors can get around using a steam railway, tramway, wagonway and old buses.
Last night hundreds of Facebook users paid tribute to the boy on the museum’s page on the social networking website.
Anna Barker wrote: ‘Such awful news for all involved. Thoughts to the little boy and his family and also to the staff at Beamish who are such a close-knit community.’ Lisa Caroline Dixon added: ‘Such a tragic accident. Thoughts of deep condolences go out to his family, friends, all those involved and the evacuated visitors today who must all be deeply devastated.
Stephen Coulthard said he had seen the boy on the engine earlier in the day and described the death as ‘tragic’.
Kenny Flint Snr wrote: ‘ Such a sad, sad day. A young lad doing he must have really enjoyed, being involved and around steam engines. R.I.P little man our thoughts go out to your family and friends.’
Catherine Lundy said: ‘Very sorry to hear about this awful event at such a beautiful place of interest. Thoughts are with the family.’
Any witnesses are urged to contact Durham Police.