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| Kendal sports pitch car crash victim is girl, 10, police say | Kendal sports pitch car crash victim is girl, 10, police say |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Flowers have been laid at Kendal rugby club | |
| A girl who died after being struck by a car which crashed through a fence and on to a sports pitch was 10 years old and attending a regular football session, police said. | A girl who died after being struck by a car which crashed through a fence and on to a sports pitch was 10 years old and attending a regular football session, police said. |
| Witnesses described a scene of "sheer panic" as the car appeared on the pitch at Kendal rugby club just before 17:00 GMT on Wednesday. | |
| An eight-year-old girl, also from Kendal, was injured and taken to hospital for treatment. | |
| Cumbria Police arrested a 40-year-old man from Lancaster on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, but added: "At this time, there is no indication to suggest that this incident was a deliberate act." | Cumbria Police arrested a 40-year-old man from Lancaster on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, but added: "At this time, there is no indication to suggest that this incident was a deliberate act." |
| The eight-year-old's injuries were not life-threatening, police said, and the arrested man remains in custody. | The eight-year-old's injuries were not life-threatening, police said, and the arrested man remains in custody. |
| 'Scared children' | 'Scared children' |
| Eyewitness Scott Denney said it "all happened very fast", adding: "Just as we got on to the pitch, a car came through the barriers at the top and then landed on the pitch." | Eyewitness Scott Denney said it "all happened very fast", adding: "Just as we got on to the pitch, a car came through the barriers at the top and then landed on the pitch." |
| Mr Denney, whose son attends the GT7 Football Academy which holds training sessions at the rugby club, said he had "no idea" how the car got on to the field. | Mr Denney, whose son attends the GT7 Football Academy which holds training sessions at the rugby club, said he had "no idea" how the car got on to the field. |
| "It was just sheer panic. It was just not very nice at all. | "It was just sheer panic. It was just not very nice at all. |
| "The children were obviously scared but the coaches dealt with it really, really well." | "The children were obviously scared but the coaches dealt with it really, really well." |
| He said staff got the children off the field and out of view of the crash site, and added: "Last night there was a lot of families here that pulled together to give support to the mum and dad and friends of the little girl." | He said staff got the children off the field and out of view of the crash site, and added: "Last night there was a lot of families here that pulled together to give support to the mum and dad and friends of the little girl." |
| A police presence remained into the night at the rugby club | A police presence remained into the night at the rugby club |
| A crime scene remains at the rugby club where, opposite the clubhouse car park, two buckled fence panels are bent over on to the pitch. | A crime scene remains at the rugby club where, opposite the clubhouse car park, two buckled fence panels are bent over on to the pitch. |
| People have laid floral tributes and Kendal Rugby Club has cancelled its fixtures this weekend. | |
| Club Director Reg Burrow said staff were "shell-shocked". | |
| He said there is a curb and a footpath, along with a fence, between the car park and the playing area, adding: "You wouldn't anticipate any car could gain enough speed to land as it did on the pitch." | |
| Metal fencing around the pitch was left buckled and broken | |
| Tim Farron, the MP for the area, said news of the crash was "utterly devastating". | Tim Farron, the MP for the area, said news of the crash was "utterly devastating". |
| "There was this shared sense of utter shock and horror, the whole town is utterly, utterly devastated by this," he said. | "There was this shared sense of utter shock and horror, the whole town is utterly, utterly devastated by this," he said. |
| Meanwhile, Carlisle United South Cumbria Supporters Club said the "tragedy hits especially close to home". | |
| A statement read: "The loss of a young life and the serious injury of another child during football training is utterly heartbreaking. | |
| "We share in the immense grief of the families and the entire Kendal community." | |
| The Reverend Canon Shanthi Thompson said Kendal is a "close community" | The Reverend Canon Shanthi Thompson said Kendal is a "close community" |
| The Reverend Canon Shanthi Thompson, from Kendal Parish Church, said a moment of silence was held after its Ash Wednesday service "because it's so hard to find the words to say at a time like this". | The Reverend Canon Shanthi Thompson, from Kendal Parish Church, said a moment of silence was held after its Ash Wednesday service "because it's so hard to find the words to say at a time like this". |
| "Kendal is a very close community and many, many people will have links to the rugby club and people will know the children involved," she told BBC Radio Cumbria. | "Kendal is a very close community and many, many people will have links to the rugby club and people will know the children involved," she told BBC Radio Cumbria. |
| Church assistant Norman Holloway said he went to the parish church first thing in the morning to help direct people to the candle holders. | |
| "We've had a steady stream of people coming in all morning to light candles," he said. | |
| "We're all devastated." | |
| Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. | Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. |