Huddersfield girl’s death after Reinwood tree branch fall

Jun 4 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Alice Kelly

A TEENAGE girl in the “wrong place at the wrong time” died after being struck by a falling tree branch.

And an inquest in Huddersfield heard how there were no regular safety checks on thousands of trees across the town.

It was May bank holiday last year when schoolgirl Alice Mary Kelly, 13, was walking across Reinwood recreation ground with two friends.

A Huddersfield inquest heard how the branch, estimated to weigh half a tonne, fell and hit her.

The heavy branch of the maple tree had split from the main trunk.

Alice, who lived nearby on Millfield Close, Oakes, with her mother Katie, sadly died soon after from chest injuries.

Nurse Ina Simpson was walking home from work at around 3.15pm when she saw the group of friends and said ‘Hello’ to them.

Moments later she heard a bang and saw the branch falling and heard the girls screaming.

She called an ambulance but was unable to move the tree branch which was on top of Alice.

She tried to resuscitate the schoolgirl and stayed with her until help arrived.

Coroner Mark Hinchliffe praised the ‘heroic efforts’ of Mrs Simpson.

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.