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Man and woman bailed following bouncy castle death in UK

  A man and woman have been released on bail after being arrested in connection with the dea...
Newstalk
Newstalk

10.47 28 Mar 2016


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Man and woman bailed following...

Man and woman bailed following bouncy castle death in UK

Newstalk
Newstalk

10.47 28 Mar 2016


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A man and woman have been released on bail after being arrested in connection with the death of a seven-year-old girl who was killed when the bouncy castle she was playing on was blown away.

Summer Grant, from Norwich, was seriously injured when the inflatable was apparently swept some 150 metres across a park in Harlow, Essex on Saturday.

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A 27-year-old man and 24-year-old woman, both from Cambridgeshire, who were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence following her death, have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Flowers and teddy bears have been left at the entrance to Harlow Town Park while an online fundraising drive to help Summer's family has raised almost £2,000.

The fair was closed on Sunday, but a steady stream of people visited the park, leaving messages to a "princess" and an "angel".

One said: "God has taken a beautiful girl for his angel. RIP Princess."

A sudden gust of wind blew the bouncy castle off the ground, Ray Smith, from the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain said.

Speaking near a police cordon at the scene, Mr Smith added: "Had it been a consistent wind they would have closed down all the inflatables."

He said the firm running the bouncy castle was the family-run Thurston fun fairs.

Asked about how bouncy castles are set up, he said: "I know the family and I am very confident they had staked it out properly."

Police say they are aware of video footage of the scene being circulated and ask anyone who captured the incident on camera to get in touch.

Detective Inspector Daniel Stoten from Essex Police said the weather conditions will be a factor in the investigation.

Last year, a bouncy castle collapsed at the same park with three children reportedly requiring medical attention from paramedics.

Conservative MP for Harlow Robert Halfon suggested authorities in Essex should consider banning bouncy castles until they are deemed "completely safe, so such a horrific tragedy never happens again".

Councillor Jon Clempner, leader of Harlow Council, said the council will work with all of those involved, including the Great Parndon Community Association (GPCA), who it said organised the fair, to find out what happened.

A spokeswoman for GPCA said they had no comment when contacted by the Press Association.


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