A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy has died after being crushed by a wall that collapsed at his Essex home.The tragedy happened at around 3.30pm yesterday at the young boy's home in the Bourne Mill area of Colchester.

By Juliette Maxam

A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy has died after being crushed by a wall that collapsed at his Essex home.

The tragedy happened at around 3.30pm yesterday at the young boy's home in the Bourne Mill area of Colchester.

It is understood that he had been playing football in the back garden of the house when the ball got kicked over the wall and into an alleyway.

He then climbed the wall, which was between six and eight feet tall, but when he reached the top he fell.

The wall, which was made of breeze blocks, then collapsed on top of him, an Essex Police spokeswoman said.

When ambulance staff arrived at the scene they found he had stopped breathing. Paramedics battled to revive him and he was rushed to hospital with the ambulance blue lights and siren on.

They carried out CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation) on him all the way to hospital, where medics took over, but sadly nothing could be done to save the boy.

An Essex Ambulance Service spokesman said: “When the crews arrived they found that a wall made of breeze blocks had collapsed on a six-year-old boy. He was lying in an alleyway at the bottom of the garden.

“We immediately started CPR on the youngster, who had stopped breathing.”

He added: “Despite the best efforts, it was not possible to save the boy and he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at hospital.”

The Essex Police spokeswoman said they had been alerted as a matter of course. She said there was nothing to suggest any suspicious circumstances and it was being treated as a tragic accident.

A report is being prepared for the coroner and the boy's family was being informed of his death last night.

juliette.maxam@eadt.co.uk