Boy, 11, dies 'after falling from climbing frame in school playground'

Taped off: a play area at Cherry Lane Primary School in West Drayton

An 11-year-old boy has died after reportedly falling from a climbing frame at a primary school in west London.

Police and paramedics were called to Cherry Lane Primary School in West Drayton after pupils raised the alarm with teachers shortly before midday yesterday.

The boy, believed to be in Year 6, was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead just after 1.30pm.

Parents said the boy was seen playing a game with friends when he fell backwards from the climbing frame.

The school in west London
Nigel Howard

One mother, who asked not to be named, said her son, also 11, had seen his friend fall.

“It’s a game they all play,” she said. “The aim is to get from one side to the other … there was no intention of someone being hurt.

“It was obviously a complete accident. My son said his friend had fallen backwards and hit his head.”

The mother said her son had gone to find a teacher as the boy tried to stand up and walk.

She said of her son: “He said to me, ‘Mummy I saw him and he fell and hit his head on the floor’.

"He told me: ‘He lay there holding his head with his eyes open and when he tried to get up that’s when his eyes closed and he went to sleep.’”

Another parent said: “My son said he saw him fall backwards. He thought he had only broken his arm. I can’t believe that he died. It is so sad.”

One father said parents were going to visit the boy’s family to pay their respects, adding: “He has a little sister that doesn’t even know he died yet.”

The school said: “Our priority is to support the emotional well-being of our pupils.”

The playground was cordoned off today but children were attending as normal.

The London Ambulance Service sent an incident response officer, three medics in cars, an ambulance crew and an advanced paramedic.

“Sadly, despite the extensive efforts of medics, a person was pronounced dead,” the LAS said.

The Met said the death was not being treated as suspicious. The Health and Safety Executive is investigating.

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