Boy, 3, dies after collapsing while on day out with parents at theme park
Youngster dies after falling ill at Wheelgate Theme Park in Nottinghamshire
A THREE-YEAR-OLD boy has died after collapsing at a theme park during a family day out.
The child was taken to hospital after falling ill at Wheelgate Theme Park in Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire yesterday afternoon.
Police and paramedics were called to the scene and the boy was airlifted to hospital but could not be saved.
He was pronounced dead a short time later.
It is understood that the child’s parents called emergency services after their son started feeling unwell.
Police confirmed that the death is not being treated as suspicious and there is no suggestion that boy’s death is linked to the theme park.
The theme park will remain closed until tomorrow.
A statement released by the venue said: "Management and staff at Wheelgate Park would like to extend their deepest sympathies to the family of a young child who passed away in hospital after having suddenly taken ill while visiting the park.
"As a mark of respect, the park will be closed on Monday and reopen on Tuesday.
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our visitors on Sunday for their co-operation and understanding during what was clearly a very distressing time for the child and his family, and also to extend our gratitude to the work of the all the emergency services, as well as an off duty nurse who assisted immediately and the on-site first aid team outside the theme park."
One eye-witness, who asked not to be named, said: "We didn't know what had happened but there were quite a lot of ambulances, the air ambulance arrived and took the child away."
Tim Moorehouse, manager of the nearby White Post Inn pub, added: "I saw the ambulance come through – I was just outside the back of the pub at the time."