Bouncy castles and inflatables banned from Havant council land after '˜explosion' death

It comes after three-year-old Ava-May Littleboy was thrown from a seaside inflatable trampoline and died of a head injury.

She died at James Paget Hospital in Great Yarmouth after the incident in Gorleston-on-Sea on Sunday morning.

Police said witnesses reported hearing a '˜loud bang' before the inflatable '˜apparently burst' at the seaside site.

In a statement Havant's council said: '˜The extreme high temperatures that are currently being experienced may have been a major contributory factor to the explosion, however we don't know this for certain.

'˜Until the cause of the explosion has been properly identified, it is not possible to manage this risk.

'˜It has therefore been decided that until the reason for the explosion of the bouncy castle has been identified, such that the risk can be properly managed by the event organiser, Havant Borough Council will not permit the use of bouncy castles or inflatables at any events taking place on its land.'

The decision will be reviewed '˜once the outcome of the enquiry into the cause of the explosion of the bouncy castle is known'.

Before the announcement today the borough authority permitted bouncy castles or inflatables on its land as long as the event organiser had a risk assessment and the correct insurance.

In 2016 seven-year-old Summer Grant was killed in Essex when a bouncy castle blew free from its moorings.

A spokeswoman for Portsmouth City Council said its events team was liaising with organisers of upcoming events in the city warning them '˜to be extra vigilant'.

Fareham Borough Council has said it is not banning inflatables.

'˜We are not banning inflatables at council-organised events however we are taking steps to ensure that inflatables are safe,' a spokeswoman said.

Members of the environmental health team will visit council run events with inflatables, she added.