A school has confirmed that the person who died in a mudslide caused by massive rainfall was pupil Leah Harrison. Thirty mountain rescuers were among a huge emergency services response after a person died following a mudslide in North Yorkshire on Wednesday.
Leah, of Mount Pleasant Primary School, in Darlington, was involved in the tragic incident at Carlton-in-Cleveland on Wednesday, Teesside live reported. Leah’s school says the staff, pupils and wider community have been left in a “state of shock” and paid tribute to the Year 6 pupil honouring her as a “much-loved part of their school.”
Lingfield Education Trust Chief Executive, Nick Blackburn, said: “The full details are still emerging but this is clearly a heartbreaking tragedy. Leah was a much-loved part of our school and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and the school staff.
“Counselling is being arranged within the school for pupils and staff. We are all in a state of shock and we would ask that the privacy of the family and the school community is respected while we try to come to terms with what has happened.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, North Yorkshire Police said: “We are currently responding to a mudslide at Carlton-in-Cleveland. We can confirm that one person has sadly died as a result of the incident. Our thoughts are with their family and friends during this difficult time.”
Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) volunteers were called in the early afternoon to reports of a mudslide near Carlton Bank, above Carlton-in-Cleveland village on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. North Yorkshire Police later confirmed one person had died following the incident at around 1.15pm.
A Cleveland MRT spokesperson said: “Nineteen Cleveland MRT members were deployed immediately, eventually rising to 30 at the scene during the course of the afternoon and working alongside their emergency service colleagues including the North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service, in addition to the ambulance services. North Yorkshire Police have since confirmed that one person sadly died as a result of the incident.
“The thoughts of the mountain rescue volunteers are with the family and friends of the deceased during such a very sad time.” The team also deployed two Team Rescue Land Rovers.
In a statement on Wednesday, North Yorkshire Police said no one else was injured during the incident. The area was cordoned off throughout the afternoon and members of the public were asked to avoid the area.
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