A 12-YEAR-OLD girl who died when a tree branch fell on her had been swinging from a rope swing at the time, an inquest heard.
Brooke Wiggins was playing with pals when tragedy struck in Banstead, Surrey on November 9 last year.
Brooke Wiggins, 12, tragically died after a tree branch fell on her[/caption]
The youngster had been swinging from a rope when tragedy struck[/caption]
Assistant coroner Ivor Collett said it was “a tree that any normal child might look at and think it was a tree for playing on.”
Surrey County Council were responsible for maintaining the tree and making sure it was healthy.
However, the land on which it grew was owned by the London Borough of Sutton, a pre-inquest review was told.
Paramedics were called to the scene, near the junction with Carshalton Road in Banstead, Surrey, when the horror unfolded.
It took between 90 minutes and two hours to free the youngster with specialist equipment.
Brooke’s terrified friends had also flagged down help, and called her brothers Edwards and Patrick Delaney.
Tragically the 12-year-old’s injuries were too severe crush and she died a short time later.
At South London Coroners’ Court in Croydon, Mr Collett said an investigation had been launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after Brooke’s death.
This included analysis carried out by Surrey County Council tree experts.
Brooke’s heartbroken mum Claire Etherington and other relatives were in court to hear the inquest.
Mr Collett continued: “What this inquest will really be about is the role of Surrey County Council in respect of the ownership and maintenance of the tree.
“The accident itself and death occurred on land owned by the London Borough of Sutton.
“The tree was growing on land a few metres away owned and maintained by Surrey County Council.
“The inspection regime and maintenance falls to Surrey County Council.”
And he added: “There is no suggestion that Brooke and her friends were doing anything wrong.
“It was public land. There was a bridleway they walked along to get to it.
“It’s not as if they clambered over a fence to gain access to land they were prohibited from.”
Mr Collett said police bodyworn footage was too harrowing to play in court.
“It’s so upsetting to think of a 12-year-old child in this situation,” he added.
“It’s the most terrible thing for any family to endure.
“We owe it to Brooke to investigate properly and allow a conclusion to be fully informed.”
The tree investigation concluded all of its branches should be removed, but this is yet to happen as further tests are needed, according to Surrey County Council.
But Mr Collett said the branches could be cut off now.
Tragically, there have been several people killed by council-owned trees in recent years.
Lukasz Costazza, 30, died after being hit by a falling tree in 2015 in Low Hall Nature Reserve in Waltham Forest.
Elsewhere, Madia Kauser, 32, was killed in Witton Country Park in Blackburn as she walked with her husband and two children on August 11.
The mother heroically pushed her daughter out of the way before it landed.
An inquest into Brooke’s death is being held at South London Coroners’ Court[/caption]
It took between 90 minutes and two hours to free the 12-year-old[/caption]
The tree investigation concluded all of its branches should be removed[/caption]
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