Harlow: Two arrested for manslaughter after girl dies in bouncy castle accident

Paramedics were called to Harlow Town Park in Essex on Saturday 26 March, after the bouncy castle a young girl was playing on blew away in strong winds, but the youngster died in hospital.

The child, thought to be seven years of age, suffered serious injuries when the bouncy castle came loose from its moorings and was blown away "some distance" with the child still on it, according to a spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service.

"Our thoughts are with the friends and family involved on this sad day," he added.

Footage from the aftermath of the tragic incident, in which the bouncy castle is believed to have blown away 150 metres across the park, shows several ambulances and police cars at the scene as the girl was treated in the park. The Health and Safety Executive said it was assisting police with its investigation.

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence. In response to the tragedy, Conservative MP for Harlow Robert Halfon tweeted: "My thoughts and heart go to family."

It is the second bouncy castle accident at Harlow Town Park in less than a year. In May 2015, a giant inflatable collapsed while children were playing on it during a funfair in the park. Harlow Council inspected the site after the incident in May 2015 and recommended a number of health and safety improvements and checks, including better stewarding of the event.

It was reported that three people were treated by paramedics when the inflatable collapsed on them. Parents who leapt into the inflatable to rescue their children described it as "something out of a horror film", according to a Mail Online report .