Tributes left at Southend park for tree collapse victims

Hundreds of bunches of flowers and other tributes have been left in a park after a tree collapsed and killed a seven-year-old girl.

A second girl, six, remains in a critical condition after the incident in Chalkwell Park, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on Saturday afternoon.

Part of the park remains cordoned off so emergency services and other teams can investigate what happened.

Stephen Goodsell, who lives nearby, said residents felt “absolute numbness, deep shock and sadness”.

Up to 50 people tried to lift the tree when it trapped five children underneath it shortly before 15:00 BST, witnesses told the BBC.

Three of those youngsters were treated for minor injuries at hospital.

Assistant chief constable Lucy Morris said the six-year-old girl was receiving “around-the-clock care”, surrounded by her family.

The tree had been supported by props for years before it fell.

Mr Goodsell, 67, described it as an “absolute tragedy” while placing a teddy bear at the park in tribute.

“As a father and a grandfather, you ache for the parents of the children involved,” he said.

“I’ve not been able to sleep since hearing the news.

“This is just a tiny gesture to show the love we feel for the children, the family and everyone that’s suffering, because we’re suffering too.”

Bev Noakes, who was among those placing flowers, said: “There’s lots of people who witnessed it, young children who witnessed it and it must be awful.”

Southend-on-Sea city councillor and Conservative leader, James Courtenay, shared his condolences and well-wishes for the little girl in hospital.

He said he had been visiting the park for the past 40 years and had memories of playing near the tree.

“When I was a child I remember it having wooden supports back in the 1990s,” he said.

He added it had since had metal bars supporting it for many years.

Players from Westcliff Cricket Club were some of the first to rush over and attempt to lift the tree after it fell.

Mr Courtenay said: “It really must have taken half the cricket team with others to move it.

“It’s absolutely huge branches for a tree that’s hundreds of years old.”

David Burton-Sampson, Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, added: “For somebody so young to lose their life in such a tragic situation is really heartbreaking.

“Both myself and the rest of the community here in Southend are devastated.”

The park, based west of the city centre, is run by Southend-on-Sea City Council.

Labour leader Daniel Cowan said: “This was a traumatic event for those involved, those who witnessed the incident and the emergency services.

“I encourage those affected to seek support.”