Girl died after 'mini tornado' hit trampoline, coroner rules
A three-year-old girl died when the trampoline she was bouncing on was lifted by a "mini tornado", an inquest has found.Felicity Keepin was at home with her mother and brother in Longney, Gloucestershire on 10 May when a neighbour described seeing a "mini tornado", about seven or eight metres wide.The wind took the trampoline over the hedge and into a neighbouring field, throwing Felicity off a considerable distance away. She was airlifted to Bristol Children's Hospital but died from her injuries on 17 May.Recording a verdict of accidental death, Roland Wooderson, assistant Gloucestershire coroner, warned the public of the danger associated with trampolines.
Felicity was at home with her mother and brother when the "freak gust", as described by Mr Wooderson, came along.Statements were read out from different witnesses at the inquest at Gloucestershire Coroners' Court on Thursday, including from Adam Nash, a neighbour."I was cutting the grass hedge when I heard a noise which sounded like a freight train," he said."I saw a mini tornado crossing the road, about seven-eight metres in width, which left a mark in the hedge."
The 12ft (3.6m) trampoline had been bought a week before the incident and, although it had a net, it was not anchored down.But Mr Wooderson said weighing down the trampoline may not have made much difference and, although the importance of weighing down trampolines is in manufacturers' instructions, not many people are aware of it.He added: "What happened was every parent's worst nightmare. "Completely out of the blue a freak gust of wind took the trampoline high into the air and over the hedge. And I don't use that expression 'freak gust' lightly."Felicity was under the careful supervision of her mother, but this was an extraordinary, tragic and unforeseen accident. "The public really do need to know the danger associated with these trampolines."
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