Cricket boys hurt by falling tree

Jun 16 2012

Two nine-year-old boys have suffered serious head injuries after a tree fell at a cricket ground.

A third boy, also nine, had leg injuries after the tree fell at Spencer cricket ground in Fieldview, Earlsfield, south London.

The boys were waiting for a turn in the cricket nets when the accident happened, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

The spokesman said: "We were alerted by the ambulance service at 16.04 that a tree had fallen on children at Spencer cricket ground. The boys were waiting for a turn in the nets when the tree fell.

"Three boys were taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting. Two had injuries and were in a serious condition. The third had leg injuries and was described as walking wounding. Wandsworth Council was been informed and attended."

A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: "We were called at 3.45pm to Fieldview in Earlsfield to reports of a tree that had fallen on some children. We sent the London Air Ambulance, three ambulance crews, two single responders in cars and two duty officers. Our staff treated three patients, all reported to be nine-year-old boys."

A Wandsworth Council spokesman said: "We were informed what happened and did attend, as we would any incident. It was on private land."

Charlie Masson-Smith, from Wandsworth Council, said the wind was very strong and could have knocked down a healthy tree.

"This was at a private cricket club but from what we have been told there were a bunch of kids queueing up to go in the nets. All of a sudden this tree came down on them.

"The council does not have any role to play, it is a private tree on private land but it has been pretty windy in town today and you can have a really healthy tree but if the wind catches in a particular way a healthy tree can be blown over. It is a terrible accident."