Staff and waterpark visitors were performing CPR on the four-year-old girl when paramedics arrived just three minutes after desperate 999 calls from Waterworld in Staffordshire
Staff and paramedics battled in vain to save a four-year-old girl who was found unconscious at a water park, which locals have said was ‘rammed’ full of families.
Multiple people called 999 desperate to help the youngster and paramedics arrived just three minutes later and found staff and visitors performing CPR on the tot at Waterworld in Staffordshire. The ambulance team quickly took over resuscitation of the girl who was then rushed to hospital, where she later died.
Residents living nearby said the community had been left heartbroken by the tragedy while others revealed how the aqua park had been packed on Monday. One local, who did not wish to be named, said: “By all accounts it was rammed in there.
“I don’t know exactly what happened, but by that area I believe there’s wave machines that are quite choppy and you need to be a strong swimmer but there’s also slides there.
“It’s just a complete tragedy. That poor girl had just gone for a day of fun during the school holidays and now she’s gone. I just can’t stop thinking her and her family.”
Another resident added: “I think everyone is just heartbroken really that this has happened just over the road from us. There was a huge emergency response, police and ambulances everywhere. You can’t even imagine what it must have been like in there, it is just every parent’s worst nightmare.”
Customer Heather Neville, 33, of Stone, Staffordshire, arrived at the site with her two sons to find it closed after only learning of the girl’s death this morning. She added: “It’s just absolutely dreadful. I don’t know if I can bring myself to bring the boys back when it reopens now, it is just awful what’s happened.”
An ambulance service spokesman said: “Crews arrived to find Waterworld staff and bystanders performing CPR on a girl who was in a critical condition. The ambulance team quickly took over resuscitation efforts to commence advanced life support before conveying the girl by land ambulance to Royal Stoke University Hospital whilst life-saving treatment continued en-route.
“Tragically, despite the best efforts of everyone, nothing could be done to save the little girl, and she was confirmed deceased in hospital a short time later. Our thoughts are with the family and friends at this truly awful time.”
Bosses at Waterworld say they have been left in shock. A spokeswoman said yesterday: “All our thoughts are with her family and loved ones during these extremely difficult times. Waterworld is in shock and has decided to remain closed tomorrow – August 5 – out of respect for the family. Waterworld is working closely with the authorities at this sad time.”
Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Maskew said: “Our thoughts are with the family at this terribly sad time. We are now making enquiries and looking to establish the circumstances of the incident. We would ask that members of the public avoid speculating in these early stages of the investigation and allow the family to grieve.”
Back in 2022, emergency services attended the multi-million pound venue after more than a hundred swimmers suffering from sickness and eye irritation were evacuated. Two people were taken to hospital while 46 others were treated at the scene by ambulance staff.
