‘Happy-go-lucky’ girl, 10, was on educational forest walk on school residential trip to celebrate end of SAT exams when she was killed in mudslide
A schoolgirl was tragically killed in a mudslide while on an educational forest walk during a residential school trip just days after finishing her SAT exams, it was revealed today.
Leah Harrison, 10, was caught up in the disaster near Carlton-in-Cleveland, North Yorkshire, while on the trip to Carlton Adventure after a morning of persistent rain.
Emergency services rushed to the scene at Carlton Bank just after 1pm yesterday.
A major operation involving 30 mountain rescuers was launched to save her, in weather conditions they described as ‘very poor’, but she sadly died at the scene.
Leah was a ‘much-loved’ Year 6 pupil at Mount Pleasant Primary School in Darlington, County Durham.
Denise McGuckin, Managing Director of Hartlepool Borough Council, which operates Carlton Adventure, confirmed that Leah had been on an instructor-led walk at the time of the incident.
Paying tribute to Leah, family member Melissa Mullen said: ‘Leah Harrison, the happy bubbly go lucky little girl.
‘The beautiful smile, the giddy laugh, the silly jokes. You will never be forgotten baby girl.
‘You will achieve your dream and become a player for the Lionesses. Spread those wings. May you rest in paradise.’