Girl, 12, dies after being hit by rugby ball

A UK girl has died after being hit by a rugby ball during a PE lesson at her school.

According to reports in the Daily Mail, 12-year-old Leonie Nice was catching the ball during a lesson at her school when she was hit in the chest and fell over, Essex County Council said.

Emergency services were called to the Woodlands Comprehensive School in Basildon immediately but Leonie died shortly after being taken to hospital.

"Leonie keeled over and appeared to go into a fit. Our trained first-aiders gave CPR at the scene and the ambulance arrived quickly…but despite everyone's best efforts, Leonie was pronounced dead," Andy White, the headteacher at the school told reporters.

Leonie, a Year 7 pupil, was remembered by her teachers as a “promising, delightful and kind girl”.

Gary Sanderson, spokesman for East of England Ambulance Service, said, "First and foremost our thoughts are firmly with the girl's family at this tragic time.”

"The ambulance crew arrived at the scene within one minute and found the girl in a critical condition. Following rapid treatment and stabilisation, she was taken to an awaiting medical team at Basildon Hospital where sadly she died shortly after."

Earlier this month, a Dorset school boy died after he was hit in the head by a cricket ball.

Kyle Rees, 16, suffered a serious head injury during an incident at Portchester School, in Bournemouth, Dorset, and died in hospital the following day.