Friends pay tribute to ‘amazing girl’ who died on tent holiday

Devastated friends set up a Facebook page dedicated to the girl, named locally as Hannah Thomas-Jones, who was pronounced dead at a Shropshire campsite on Sunday after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Her parents and younger brother were all taken to hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

Gillian Bremner, head teacher at Wilmslow High School in Cheshire, where Hannah was a pupil, said the school would release a statement today after a staff meeting when teachers and pupils return from the Bank Holiday break.

The family of four, who had only arrived at the Baron at Bucknell campsite on Saturday, were discovered unconscious in their tent at about 10am on Sunday. The owners of the site said a disposable barbecue, which was used on Saturday night, was found in the tent’s porch.

Hannah, believed to be 14, was pronounced dead at the scene, despite efforts by a doctor staying on the site and paramedics to revive her.

Her teenage brother and their parents were taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, where they remained yesterday.

West Mercia Police said the boy was stable but “unwell” and the parents were comfortable.

More than 300 people have “liked” a Facebook page set up in remembrance of Hannah, and scores of people have posted messages of condolence.

Francesca McKendrick wrote: “You will be missed so much, you were such a nice girl inside and out and no-one, especially you, deserves to die this young.”

Chloe Hay posted: “Everything sucks without you, you were the highlight of my life.”

Another friend said: “This beautiful girl didn’t deserve to pass away but she will always be in our hearts no matter what!”

A photograph uploaded to the site shows Hannah, described as “smiley” and “amazing”, grinning broadly at the camera with her arms outstretched.

Another picture shows the teenager with her arms around two female friends.

West Mercia Police said her death was being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

In a statement yesterday, Detective Inspector Gavin Kinrade said: “Although our work at the scene concluded yesterday afternoon, we will continue to work with the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service to investigate this incident.

“We are treating the girl’s death as unexplained, but there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances. It is therefore unlikely we will have any longer-term involvement with this incident.”

Phil and Debra Wright, who own the Baron at Bucknell pub and its adjacent campsite, have said the family was part of a larger group made up of the mother’s two sisters and their respective partners and children, staying in a number of tents on the site.

His wife sobbed as Mr Wright described how the group had arrived at the site on Saturday for the bank holiday weekend but relatives had become concerned when nobody in the family’s tent emerged on Sunday morning.

“They had gone into the tent and found them all unconscious. One of the sisters came and said, ‘We need an ambulance urgently’.

“It has been devastating. It is really tragic. Nobody has done anything wrong, they have just not realised the dangers of disposable barbecues.

“You don’t realise that they are giving off fumes for hours and hours after you have used them.”

In brief statement released by the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on their behalf, the extended family said yesterday: “Our priority as a family is to ensure that the three people in hospital get well and are fully recovered.

“We are devastated by this tragic accident and will release a full statement at a later date.

“We would ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”