11-year-old girl dies after going missing in lake at Windsor water park

An 11-year-old girl has died in hospital after getting into difficulties at a water park in Windsor, police said.

The youngster, who has yet to be formally identified, had gone missing after getting into a lake at Liquid Leisure near Datchet in Berkshire on Saturday afternoon.

The girl’s death is being treated as unexplained and an investigation has begun.

Police were called at about 4pm to reports of a young girl getting into difficulty at the water park.

About an hour later the youngster was found and she was taken to Wexham Park hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The girl’s family has been informed, Thames Valley police said.

Supt Michael Greenwood, local policing area commander for Windsor and Maidenhead, said: “This has been an extremely traumatic and upsetting incident for all involved.”

“I am aware that several members of the public entered the lake shortly after the girl got into difficulty, but were unable to locate her.

“I would like to commend them for their courage and bravery.”

Members of the public were asked to call the girl’s name and staff asked customers for goggles to search for her underwater, according to witnesses.

Officers worked with Royal Berkshire fire and rescue service, Buckinghamshire fire and rescue service, Surrey fire and rescue service and South Central ambulance service and an extensive search for the girl was deployed with support from the national police air service.

Thames valley air ambulance said a helicopter was dispatched to provide advanced critical care.

One witness, who had been at the park with her children, told Sky News the girl was seen going under the water and “didn’t come back up”.

She added: “At that point, the lifeguards came running.

“She was with a group of friends for a girl’s birthday.”