A BOY, believed to be 10 years old, has died after collapsing during a family trip to a seaside amusement park.
An ambulance and a rapid response paramedic were sent to Pleasureland in Newcastle, Co Down at around 3.30pm yesterday after receiving reports that the child had suffered a head injury.
The boy, understood to be from Lisburn, Co Antrim, was rushed to the Royal Victoria Children's Hospital in Belfast for treatment where he arrived in a serious condition, but later died.
Police were last night investigating the circumstances of the sudden death.
Witnesses at popular outdoor fun fair on the town's Central Promenade said that the boy had seemed to "just faint" but it soon became apparent that he was seriously ill.
They said the child did not suffer any head injury during the collapse.
He had been at Pleasureland with a family group and it is understood he and his parents had only recently returned from holiday abroad.
The park closed immediately to members of the public and police examined the scene for a number of hours before the funfair reopened to the public.
Owner Alfie Bell said the child had collapsed unexpectedly from what appeared to be natural causes.
"We closed the park out of respect, got everyone out and made sure there was room for everybody to get in and work on him and I think they kept working on him the whole way to the hospital," he said.
"Our family are thinking of his parents and grandparents at this terrible time and send out sympathy to them.
"They seemed like a lovely family."
