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Child dies after being crushed by stone war memorial

The family were believed to be attending the bowling club when the accident occurred.

The family were believed to be attending the bowling club when the accident occurred. Photo: Facebook/Black Head Bowling Club

A child has died after being crushed by a stone monument at a bowling club near Taree, on the New South Wales mid-north coast.

Emergency services were called to the Black Head Bowling Club at Hallidays Point at 7.20pm on Saturday after receiving reports that a three-year-old child had been badly injured.

A large sandstone block inscribed with “Lest We Forget” fell on the child and caused severe injuries.

She was rushed to the Manning Base Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.

The three-year-old was on holidays in the area with her family, who are from the suburb of Airds in south-west Sydney, Superintendent Peter Thurtell told the ABC.

“There was a party at the Black Head Bowling Club, and a group of children of those adults at the party were out playing near a war memorial out the front of the club,” he said.

“The deceased child was not climbing on top of the war memorial, another child was climbing on top of the war memorial and it appears as though the weight of that child brought it down and another girl was standing behind that slab.”

“We can’t speculate as to why it fell over … it appears weight was an influencing factor.”

Staff opening the Black Head Bowling Club told the ABC the small beachfront community was in shock over the child’s death.

Hallidays Point is midway between Forster-Tuncurry and Taree, about four hours’ drive north of Sydney.

Police said a report was being prepared for the coroner.

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