Zip Wire Accident Kills Girl, 5, In Play Area

A five-year-old girl has died following a zip wire accident at a children's play area in east London.

Alexia Walenkaki was playing with friends when a rope swing snapped - causing a tree trunk to fall on her.

The schoolgirl sustained severe head injuries, and when paramedics arrived at Mile End Park just after 5.30pm on Friday, she was discovered in cardiac arrest.

She was taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, where she died at 6.43pm.

A post-mortem will take place on Wednesday, while the Metropolitan Police and the Health and Safety Executive have launched a joint investigation.

Detectives from the homicide and major crime command are leading the investigation, owing to the complex circumstances surrounding Alexia's death.

Floral tributes have been left close to the play area where Alexia was hurt but that section of the park remains closed to the public.