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Police set up a cordon around the theme park after the incident. Richard Vernalls PA Wire/PA Images
drayton manor

11-year-old dies after falling from theme park water ride in the UK

The incident happened on the Splash Canyon water ride at Drayton Manor.

AN 11-YEAR-OLD girl has died, after an incident one a water ride at the Drayton Manor Theme Park, just north of Birmingham in the UK.

Emergency services were called to the scene just after 2pm this afternoon, after reports that a girl had fallen from a water ride at the popular theme park.

Staffordshire police later confirmed the news that she had died, following the incident on the Splash Canyon attraction.

In a statement on its Facebook page, Drayton Manor said: “Our staff were alerted that an 11-year-old girl had entered the water.

Trained park staff were immediately on the scene attending to the patient and West Midlands Air Ambulance arrived and air lifted her to hospital.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “On arrival, crews discovered a girl with serious injuries who had been rescued from the water by park staff.

Ambulance staff administered advanced life support before she was flown to Birmingham Children’s Hospital with the doctor continuing treatment en-route. Unfortunately, shortly after arrival at hospital the girl passed away.

Superintendent Carl Ratcliffe said: “Specially trained officers are supporting the girl’s family at this time.”

He added the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had been informed of the incident.

It is believed that girl was at the theme park on a school trip.

It is the first time someone has died at a UK theme park since 2004.

In 2015, five people were seriously injured when one of the rides at Alton Towers had its carriages crash into the back of another carriage when it become stuck on the track.

One of the two women who had leg amputations after the crash described how she couldn’t feel her toes and was drifitng in and out of conciousness following the crash.

Read: She’s been chosen to lead the review of gardaí in Ireland but who is Kathleen O’Toole?

Read: Private firm to be hired to chase TV licence evaders

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