No further action to be taken after probe into schoolgirl’s mudslide death

No further action will be taken after an investigation into the death of a 10-year-old girl in a mudslide during a school trip.

Leah Harrison, from Darlington, was killed at Carlton Bank on the edge of the North York Moors on May 22.

The Year 6 pupil at Mount Pleasant Primary School had been on a walk led by instructors at the Carlton Adventure centre which is run by Hartlepool Borough Council.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) confirmed on Friday that it had concluded its investigation with North Yorkshire Police and will take no further action.

A spokesperson said: “We have met the family of Leah Harrison to inform them that our investigation has concluded and we will take no further action.

“We carried out a thorough investigation, and worked closely with North Yorkshire Police after the incident. Our thoughts remain with the family.”

In a statement released shortly after her death, Leah’s family said: “Leah Harrison, the happy, bubbly, go-lucky little girl.

“The beautiful smile, the giddy laugh, the silly jokes.

“You will never ever be forgotten baby girl.

“You will achieve your dream and become a player for the Lionesses.

“Spread those wings. May you rest in paradise.”

On the afternoon of May 22, a major operation involving 30 mountain rescuers was launched to save Leah in weather conditions which were described as “very poor”, but she died at the scene.

Gary Clarke, callout officer for Cleveland Mountain Rescue, previously said: “It was very wet all day, quite foggy and misty up there and very cold and it made the conditions very hard going for the rescue.”

“As far as we are aware, they were part of a school party. Where exactly they started and where they were going, we’re not sure, we don’t get to see that side of things.

“But there was just a school party out for a walk on the North York Moors which many schools do quite often, all year round.

“It’s really a matter for the police investigating now, we’re not exactly sure what happened, but from what we can gather, what we saw in that scene, it was just something of a freak force of nature accident.

“It’s something that we’ve never seen or experienced before.”

The inquest into Leah’s death has not yet taken place.

Hartlepool Borough Council and Lingfield Education Trust, which runs Mount Pleasant Primary School, have been contacted for comment.