Parents Call For Ban On British Bulldogs Game After Daughter's Death

Parents Call For Ban On British Bulldogs Game After Daughter's Death

An eight-year-old girl died after being knocked over when playing the rough tag game British bulldogs in her school playground.

Freya James was knocked and fell onto an old railway sleeper which ruptured her liver. She managed to walk up to six metres to the primary school's first aid room and was then rushed to hospital but died two hours later.

Her parents Nick and Anekke James, from Twickenham, Middlesex, blamed the fast-moving highly physical game, which is already banned from some schools, for Freya's death in February.

And speaking ahead of the inquest into his daughter's death, Mr James, 42, said: "I hope our daughter's death will lead to a more widespread ban."

He said: "When you go through the sequence of events, you've got a boy running at high speed in a crowded playground and you've got a wooden sleeper serving no purpose.

"Freya was also made to walk five or six metres to a first aid room, despite holding her abdomen when teachers found her on the ground.

"We need to know if that caused more serious damage. There are a lot of questions that need answering."

Dean Rogers, chairman of governors at the school, said: "This has been a horrendously difficult period for the staff as well as the children at the school. But we still couldn't possibly comprehend what it has been like for Nick and Anekke.

"We understand they feel angry and need answers and the inquest will hopefully give them those. "Ahead of the hearing, it would be inappropriate to comment further."

Neil Meehan , Head of Trafalgar Junior School in Twickenham, said after the accident: "Our thoughts are with the parents and family of the pupil during this very sad time and we are working with educational psychologists to support pupils and staff at the school as necessary."

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