Abbie Littleboy posted this picture with her niece and told her friends her family would 'like to build a memorial bench for our little Ava'. Photo / Facebook
Abbie Littleboy posted this picture with her niece and told her friends her family would 'like to build a memorial bench for our little Ava'. Photo / Facebook
The first picture has emerged of a 3-year-old girl who was killed after being thrown 6m in the air from an exploding inflatable trampoline yesterday.
Ava-May Littleboy, who later died in hospital, was seen rocketing into the air and flying back down after witnesses heard the sound of an explosionin Gorleston, Norfolk.
Her mother, Chloe Littleboy, 25, screamed as she watched her daughter fall.
Family and friends of the little girl have paid tribute to her and set up a JustGiving page asking for donations for a park bench in her honour.
Her aunt, Laura Reid, 28, said "I will love you always and forever. Sleep tight my little angel. My everything my princess! My heart is broken."
People have sent well-wishes and donations to the family online, the MailOnline reported.
One wrote: "This story broke my heart. No parent should have to experience such tragedy. My thoughts are with you. Rest in paradise little Abbie."
Another said: "So Tragic. Thoughts and prays for the family and all affected. Life is so fragile and precious, every moment should be valued and treasured. God rest your soul darling child."
Her other aunt, Abbie Littleboy, 21, said: "Me and our family would like to build a memorial bench for our little Ava, please take a read of our story and help raise money for our beautiful angel."
Families have spoken of their horror as they watched bystanders attempting to catch the girl before paramedics and a lifeguard attempted to resuscitate her.
The child was visiting the area from Suffolk in a heatwave.
Dozens of floral tributes and teddy bears have been left at the scene today after mourners turned up to pay their respects to the girl and her family.
The owner of the play equipment, Curt Johnson also paid tribute.
Ava-May Littleboy, who later died in hospital. Photo / Just Giving
He told the BBC: "We are in complete shock and send our deepest condolences to the family.
"We are in bits and totally devastated, we can't sleep, can't eat, feel sick to the core."
Police revealed on Monday the girl was the only person on the trampoline at the time.
She had been playing on the trampoline in a section of the beach called Bounce About, which also has an inflatable slide, traditional trampolines and a rodeo ride.
A witness described seeing the girl's mother screaming for help after watching her daughter get thrown from the trampoline.
The 91-year-old man, who asked not to be named, said: "If you put two 6ft people on top of each other she still would have flown way above them.
"She shot way up into the air - easily more than 20ft and landed in the sand. The mother ran up just screaming and crying for help. The people acted together.
"One girl called the police and people were clearing the path. The explosion was like a big gun. I was in the Navy and I can tell you that it was an enormous bang."
He described the public's response as "excellent", adding: "The lifeguard nearby was great. He straight away left the chair and came across.
"One girl gave her mouth to mouth and pressure CPR. The people were good and stayed back and kept their distance."
Zoe Dye, 32, was just 20m away from the trampoline playing with her 11-year-old daughter Tiffany when the explosion occurred.
She said: "Literally there were screams from everyone on the beach and it was almost like slow motion.
"When the little girl was in the air no one could have done anything but people jumped up to try and catch her but she just dropped.
"It was everyone's instinct just to try and catch her. My little girl described what she saw as something from a horror film and she is very upset.
'But it was the case of everyone on the beach just ran. People were over there, people were helping, people were trying to get defibrillators and nobody could do anymore than they did. It was brilliant that everyone just pulled together.
"The little girl was tiny. I know that she was 3 but she looked younger than that."
A police cordon around the Bounce About play area where the young girl died. Photo / BBC
Police had said the girl died on a "bouncy castle" but a rentals firm unconnected to the tragedy have described it as an "inflatable trampoline".
Sara Robinson, of Cribs and Bibs Group, a company not believed to be connected to the death said: 'Cribs and Bibs inflatables would like to send our heart felt and deepest sympathy to the family of the little girl who tragically lost her life.
She said: "Whilst I don't want to speculate on yesterday's events without knowing the full facts we must point out this did not happen on a bouncy castle.
"It was a sealed inflatable trampoline which means a machine is used to fill with air and a plug inserted to hold the air like a giant balloon."
Superintendent Roger Wiltshire, the Great Yarmouth district commander for Norfolk Police, described the death of the girl as "an unspeakable tragedy".
He said: "My understanding is that the mother had a conversation with the stall holder and the child went on the equipment.
"The trampoline was designed just for one person to use and she was the only person there at the time. As far as I understand her mother was watching nearby,
"I am a dad myself and I cannot imagine what the family are going through. You go to a place like Gorleston for a day out and then this happens."
He added that the girl's family were being comforted by family liaison officers.
Temperatures reached 23C (73F) at the tourist attraction, three miles from Great Yarmouth, as families made the most of the heatwave.
Little Ava-May's aunts posted tributes to their niece as they raised funds for a bench in her honour.
A joint investigation between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), local authority and police has been launched. It is the latest accident in which a fun day out with giant inflatables has turned to tragedy.
Married fairground workers William Thurston, 29, and Shelby Thurston, 26 - who were responsible for the "entirely preventable" death of a 7-year-old girl who was blown away in a bouncy castle they did not properly secure - were jailed for three years in June.
Summer Grant was killed after a gust of wind lifted the inflatable from its moorings and sent it "cartwheeling" 300m down a hill at an Easter fair in Harlow, Essex, a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court had heard.
