Summer Grant, pictured, died of her injuries after being blown 300 yards down a hill in a bouncy castle that was ‘not properly secured to the ground’
A seven-year-old girl died after a bouncy castle that she was in blew away to ‘tree-top height’ in a gust of wind, a court heard today.
Summer Grant, died from multiple injuries after a strong gust of wind swept the inflatable across a park in Harlow, Essex, on March 26 2016.
Shelby Thurston, 25, and husband William Thurston, 28, who were responsible for the bouncy castle are jointly charged with gross negligence manslaughter and deny the charge.
Prosecuting, Tracy Ayling called several witnesses to give evidence this morning.
These included Ben Mansfield, who was at the funfair with his wife and son on the day that Summer died.
Miss Ayling asked Mr Mansfield what he saw when the bouncy castle blew away.
He said: ‘As we were leaving the park, I saw it blow away suddenly.
‘I did not realise someone was in it. The park was quite empty. I saw it go but not how.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard Summer’s parents Lee (left) and Cara (right) watched the horrific incident unfold and Mr Grant chased after his daughter but was unable to catch the inflatable as it ‘cartwheeled’ 300 yards down a hill
‘There was a gust of wind, I could see the top of it.
‘I would say it went maybe 15ft in the air, it was quite hard to gauge.
‘I saw some people running after it. I saw a car following shortly afterwards, it was a pick up truck.’
Miss Ayling then called Aaron Cartwright, another person who attended the funfair that day, to give evidence.
Mr Cartwright told the court that he was at the fair with his family on the day of the incident.
William (left) and Shelby (right) Thurston are accused of the manslaughter by gross negligence of Summer Grant, seven, who died after being blown away in a bouncy castle at a fair run by the couple in Essex
He said: ‘All the children went on a few bouncy castles.
‘They didn’t go on the dome but the big slide was the main attraction. It was wet and windy, just a bit of a dismal day really.’
Miss Ayling called Karen Hughes who was working at a farm, called Pets Corner, near to Harlow Park, on the day of the incident.
She said: ‘I went into Harlow town centre as we had some animals to take into the town centre for an Easter celebration.
‘We had a gazebo put up. It was just a standard gazebo, that people could have in their garden. The animals were underneath.
‘It was secured with weights, but as the day progressed we had to increase the weights and then we had men holding it down. The wind was picking up.
‘It was raining on and off and the wind was picking up. There were not many people around so it was a decision by myself and the organiser to call it a day.
Pictured: Police at the scene of the tragedy in Harlow, Essex, in March 2016
‘I saw a bouncy castle slightly tipping onto its side before it rolled and then took off. It was tree top height. It was rolling and flying at the same time, bouncing occasionally.
‘It stopped against the fence where our sheep are on the edge of the foot path of the town park.
‘We heard a crack at the time it landed and I was going to speak to the organisers about the probability of it breaking the fence.
‘At the time there was quite a few people looking after the young girl.
‘I did not give assistance immediately but I was given a phone by someone to direct the emergency services.
‘The bouncy castle was pulled off the fence, rolled up and put onto the trailer and towed away.’
‘My job requires me to work outside most of the day and it was windy and there had been drizzle for most of the day.
‘I was talking to Karen Hughes at the gate. Suddenly, Karen said, ‘Oh my god’ and pointed in the direction of the fair.
Ms Blackie, pictured with her daughter, described her as a ‘bright, beautiful and loving little girl’
‘When I looked I saw a yellow dome type bouncy castle. It was flipping and spinning as it bounced. It was going towards the bottom part of the field towards the sheep.
‘We began walking along the path and as we were walking the castle hit into the fence and trees.
‘I could see there were people from the fair chasing after it and they reached it before us.
Tributes were left at the scene of the tragedy, pictured, with the court hearing the inflatable was not properly secured
Along with the manslaughter charge, the couple also face charges of breaching health and safety regulations at the Essex fair site, pictured
‘Someone unzipped it and came out quickly with a young girl. They placed her in the recovery position and someone shouted ‘Someone call an ambulance.’
‘I could see the castle had hit it with some force as it had snapped a branch. I could see the girl was getting some help.
‘The ambulance arrived within a few minutes and I saw people from the fair had started to load the castle onto a trailer.
‘The police arrived shortly after.’
William Thurston, who wore a black suit, white shirt and black tie, and Shelby Thurston, who wore a black shirt and dark green skirt did not speak.
The trial continues at Chelmsford Crown Court and is expected to last three weeks.
Summer was from Hellesdon, Norfolk, and the Thurston’s are from Wilburton, Cambs.
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