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Tragic Sophie Howard was sitting on a bench in Middletons Road Recreation Ground, Yaxley, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, when a giant branch fell from a 50ft high tree.
Two off-duty doctors raced to her aid and attempted to save her life but the schoolgirl died after being taken by ambulance to Peterborough City Hospital.
Year-8 pupil Sophie, who is survived by her twin brother Elliott, was spending the day at home after her school Sawtry Community College closed due to industrial action.
Children dressed in their school uniform laid flowers and tribute messages under the tree where Sophie died accompanied by their parents.
David Kemp, 66, a retired taxi driver who lives on the same estate as Sophie's family, described the twins as ''adorable''.
He said: ''I have been a taxi driver in Yaxley for 25 years and I used to take children to school. They were a lovely and very close family. They were always very polite.
''I remember when Sophie's parents taught her and her twin brother how to ride their bikes. The twins were adorable.
''She was only in the park because the teachers were on strike and the school was closed. All the local families are really devastated.
''She was just sat on the bench with some friends. The doctors surgery is only 100 yards away so they rushed out to try and save her, but they couldn't.
''This is so sad I could cry.''
Sophie was sitting in Middletons Road Recreation Ground, less than half a mile from her home when the accident occurred at 2.32pm on Thursday.
She was relaxing with a group of friends when a one-foot thick branch fell from the 50ft high tree and she received serious injuries.
Off-duty doctors from the nearby Yaxley Group Practice rushed to the scene but Sophie was pronounced dead after she was taken to Peterborough City Hospital.
Following the accident police cordoned off the recreation ground and removed the bench and the remains of the one-foot thick branch have been cut down and taken away.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary is not treating the death as suspicious but the Health and Safety Executive has been informed of the tragic accident.
Sophie was a pupil at Sawtry Community College, which was closed on Thursday by nationwide industrial action.
In a statement on the school's website principal James Stewart said children would had to spend the day at home due to the strikes for ''health and safety'' reasons.
Sophie's parents Martin, 49, and Laura Howard were too upset to comment on the tragedy.
The 50ft tall poplar tree in Middletons Road Recreation Ground is owned and maintained by Yaxley Parish Council.
Chairman David Youles said the tree had to be "pollarded" by tree surgeons last Autumn after concerns about its safety.
Pollarding is a pruning system in which the upper branches of a tree are removed to promote foliage and growth of branches.
He said: "I can assure you everything possible was done to regularly maintain and inspect all trees in the park.
"There is an inquiry and ongoing police investigation but all our sympathies go to the family of the girl as this was a horrible and nasty incident.
"That very tree was dealt with last Autumn. We had tree surgeons pollard where anything could have occurred."
Yesterday bunches of flowers and tribute cards were left at the scene.
One of the cards read: "To Sophie, I'm going to miss you, from Nicole.''
A card on a second bunch of flowers read: "Our thoughts are with you. Such a sad, sad day and a tragic loss.''
A teenage boy at the scene, who asked not to be named, said: ''She was sitting on a bench when a branch snapped off and fell on her.''
A mother-of-two, who lives opposite the park, added: ''I heard the ambulance and police arrive. I hear it was a young girl who was hit by a branch, itâ s terrible news.
''The Yaxley Group Practice doctor's surgery looks over that part of the park so I guess they came over to help from there.''
Gary Sanderson, spokesman for East of England Ambulance Service, said two crews were sent to the recreation ground at 2.23pm on Thursday.
He said: ''First and foremost our thoughts are firmly with the girlâ s family at this tragic time.
''On our arrival the girl was being cared for by two off duty doctors from a nearby surgery.
''Paramedics worked extremely hard to treat, stabilise and immobilise the girl before she was conveyed to Peterborough City Hospital where sadly she died.''
Hundreds of friends and family have joined a Facebook tribute site called ''RIP Sophie Howard You will never be forgotten''.
Parent Becky Barton wrote: ''I was there when it happened, you was too young to be taken and in this way to, thoughts go to your family and friends who will miss you dearly, hope the teachers can learn from this cos if they was not on strike this would not of happened. Goodnight young angel xxx.''
Steve Taylor wrote: ''Ur death has rocked our village... it is such a sad loss.. my heart goes out to all of ur family.. may u rest in peace sophie howard x.''
Two off-duty doctors raced to her aid and attempted to save her life but the schoolgirl died after being taken by ambulance to Peterborough City Hospital.
Year-8 pupil Sophie, who is survived by her twin brother Elliott, was spending the day at home after her school Sawtry Community College closed due to industrial action.
Children dressed in their school uniform laid flowers and tribute messages under the tree where Sophie died accompanied by their parents.
David Kemp, 66, a retired taxi driver who lives on the same estate as Sophie's family, described the twins as ''adorable''.
He said: ''I have been a taxi driver in Yaxley for 25 years and I used to take children to school. They were a lovely and very close family. They were always very polite.
''I remember when Sophie's parents taught her and her twin brother how to ride their bikes. The twins were adorable.
''She was only in the park because the teachers were on strike and the school was closed. All the local families are really devastated.
''She was just sat on the bench with some friends. The doctors surgery is only 100 yards away so they rushed out to try and save her, but they couldn't.
''This is so sad I could cry.''
Sophie was sitting in Middletons Road Recreation Ground, less than half a mile from her home when the accident occurred at 2.32pm on Thursday.
She was relaxing with a group of friends when a one-foot thick branch fell from the 50ft high tree and she received serious injuries.
Off-duty doctors from the nearby Yaxley Group Practice rushed to the scene but Sophie was pronounced dead after she was taken to Peterborough City Hospital.
Following the accident police cordoned off the recreation ground and removed the bench and the remains of the one-foot thick branch have been cut down and taken away.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary is not treating the death as suspicious but the Health and Safety Executive has been informed of the tragic accident.
Sophie was a pupil at Sawtry Community College, which was closed on Thursday by nationwide industrial action.
In a statement on the school's website principal James Stewart said children would had to spend the day at home due to the strikes for ''health and safety'' reasons.
Sophie's parents Martin, 49, and Laura Howard were too upset to comment on the tragedy.
The 50ft tall poplar tree in Middletons Road Recreation Ground is owned and maintained by Yaxley Parish Council.
Chairman David Youles said the tree had to be "pollarded" by tree surgeons last Autumn after concerns about its safety.
Pollarding is a pruning system in which the upper branches of a tree are removed to promote foliage and growth of branches.
He said: "I can assure you everything possible was done to regularly maintain and inspect all trees in the park.
"There is an inquiry and ongoing police investigation but all our sympathies go to the family of the girl as this was a horrible and nasty incident.
"That very tree was dealt with last Autumn. We had tree surgeons pollard where anything could have occurred."
Yesterday bunches of flowers and tribute cards were left at the scene.
One of the cards read: "To Sophie, I'm going to miss you, from Nicole.''
A card on a second bunch of flowers read: "Our thoughts are with you. Such a sad, sad day and a tragic loss.''
A teenage boy at the scene, who asked not to be named, said: ''She was sitting on a bench when a branch snapped off and fell on her.''
A mother-of-two, who lives opposite the park, added: ''I heard the ambulance and police arrive. I hear it was a young girl who was hit by a branch, itâ s terrible news.
''The Yaxley Group Practice doctor's surgery looks over that part of the park so I guess they came over to help from there.''
Gary Sanderson, spokesman for East of England Ambulance Service, said two crews were sent to the recreation ground at 2.23pm on Thursday.
He said: ''First and foremost our thoughts are firmly with the girlâ s family at this tragic time.
''On our arrival the girl was being cared for by two off duty doctors from a nearby surgery.
''Paramedics worked extremely hard to treat, stabilise and immobilise the girl before she was conveyed to Peterborough City Hospital where sadly she died.''
Hundreds of friends and family have joined a Facebook tribute site called ''RIP Sophie Howard You will never be forgotten''.
Parent Becky Barton wrote: ''I was there when it happened, you was too young to be taken and in this way to, thoughts go to your family and friends who will miss you dearly, hope the teachers can learn from this cos if they was not on strike this would not of happened. Goodnight young angel xxx.''
Steve Taylor wrote: ''Ur death has rocked our village... it is such a sad loss.. my heart goes out to all of ur family.. may u rest in peace sophie howard x.''
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