Inquest to be held for girl, 10, who died in mudslide on school trip

An inquest will be held on Thursday into the death of a 10-year-old girl who was killed in a mudslide while she was on a school trip.

Leah Harrison was killed at Carlton Bank on the edge of the North York Moors on May 22 last year when she was out with a group in bad weather.

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

An inquest into her death is being held at Teesside Magistrates’ Court and is scheduled to last for two days.

The Health and Safety Executive investigated the circumstances and concluded it will take no further action.

In a statement released shortly after the keen footballer’s 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.”