MP calls for bouncy castle ban after girl is killed on beach

BOUNCY castles in public areas should be temporarily banned after the death of a young girl thrown from a seaside inflatable, an MP said today.

Lifeboat crews and passers-by battled to save the youngster after the incident on the beach at Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk, yesterday morning.

Witnesses said the inflatable trampoline exploded, flinging the girl 20ft into the air. She suffered cardiac arrest and died in hospital. She has not been named.

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

He tweeted: “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.”

He said: “You cannot risk a tragedy like this happening again.”

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

A joint investigation between the Health and Safety Executive, Great Yarmouth council and police has been launched into yesterday’s incident.

Summer Grant was killed after a bouncy castle that had not been properly secured to the ground blew away at an Easter fair in Harlow, a trial at Chelmsford crown court heard.

Fairground workers William Thurston, 29, and Shelby Thurston, 26, were jailed for three years last month after they were both found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence and of a health and safety offence.