Newcastle council fined £280,000 after falling tree killed six-year-old

Authority admits it failed to properly inspect decaying willow that crushed Ella Henderson in school playground

A council has been fined 280,000 for oversights that led to a six-year-old girl being crushed to death by a falling tree in her school playground.

Newcastle city council pleaded guilty at South Tyneside magistrates court to a charge relating to the death of year 2 pupil Ella Henderson, who was killed when a decaying willow tree fell on her in high winds at Gosforth Park first school in Newcastle while she was playing at lunchtime on 25 September 2020.