Politicians have joined a growing chorus of voices calling for a review of use of inflatable bouncy castles, following the death of a young girl on Gorleston Beach on Sunday.
The girl, who has not yet been named, died after being thrown from a bouncy castle around 11am.
Robert Halfon, the Conservative MP for Harlow, led calls for a government review into the rules governing the use of inflatable castles. He tweeted: “Another horrific tragedy after the horrific tragedy in #Harlow in 2016.
“Clearly there needs to be a serious review into regulations around bouncy castles. Just awful.”
Halfon was referring to the case of Summer Grant, who died in 2016 after a gust of wind lifted a bouncy castle from its moorings in Essex.
That call was backed by Bristol West Labour MP Thangam Debbonaire and Winchester Tory MP Steve Brine.
Debbonaire suggested there should be a “product recall” until the cause of the latest death was determined, and said the matter would be discussed in parliament today.
One witness claimed in a post on social media that the bouncy castle in Gorleston had “exploded” and that the child was thrown several feet into the air, the Evening Standard reported.
Police said only that they were called to the scene on the Lower Esplanade around 11.15am following reports a “child had been thrown from a bouncy castle”.
Police said the girl’s family were being supported by specialist officers and that a joint investigation between the Health and Safety Executive, local authority and police had been launched to “establish the circumstances surrounding the incident”.
A police cordon remains at the scene while enquiries continue.
The death is the latest in which a fun day out involving a giant inflatable has turned to tragedy.
Fairground workers William Thurston, 29, and his 26-year-old wife Shelby were jailed for three years in June over the “entirely preventable” death of Summer Grant.
The seven-year-old was killed in March 2016 after a gust of wind lifted the inflatable from its moorings at an Easter fair in Harlow, Essex.
The couple were found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence as well as a health and safety offence.