A young girl has died and another is in a critical condition after a tree fell in a seaside park in Essex on Saturday.
The girls, aged seven and six, suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital. Police said the seven-year-old girl died in hospital.
Three other children suffered minor injuries following the incident in Southend-on-Sea.
Essex police said they were called to Chalkwell park shortly before 3pm, where they found “a number of casualties”.
Ch supt Leighton Hammett said: “Families are facing unimaginable hardship this evening and all of our thoughts are with them at this time.
“I cannot begin to put into words how difficult today’s events have been, and continue to be, for them.
“It’s also not lost on me how traumatic it must have been for the members of the public who witnessed this awful incident.”
An East of England ambulance service spokesperson had earlier said: “Two children were transported by road to Southend university hospital.
“A further three children were later transported by road to the same hospital with minor injuries.”
Police advised the public to avoid the area.
Adam Hutchins, 47, told the EssexLive website: “I heard there were kids playing on the tree. They heard a big crack.
“It must have [been] pretty loud. They went running over and there were kids underneath the tree.
“All the cricket guys ran over and tried to loft the tree up. I think it’s one of the oldest trees. It had metal stands propping it up.”
David Burton-Sampson, Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, described it as a “worrying incident”, adding: “My thoughts are with those affected.”
Daniel Cowan, the leader of Southend’s city council, said on Saturday: “I’m aware of this very serious incident. We’re working with Essex police, the ambulance service and fire service, who are still at the scene.
“I do understand that a tree has fallen, there’s a number of casualties and we’re just asking the public to avoid the area while those services carry out their work, and my thoughts are with those affected.”