AN investigation has been opened following the death of an eight-year-old girl after she collapsed at a Beacon Hill activity centre on Sunday.

Charlotte Wright who was on a weekend school trip at the PGL activity centre at Marchants Hill in Tilford Road, was taken to the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford where she later died.

The girl was one of 64 pupils and eight teachers from Halfway Houses Primary School on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, where children and teachers were in shock this week.

The school was closed on Tuesday as a mark of respect for Charlotte and special assemblies for its pupils, aged between four and nine, were held on Wednesday

Headteacher Gerry Wetherell told The Herald on Wednesday: "We are shocked and devastated about the sudden and unexpected death of one of our pupils.

"Charlotte was enjoying an adventure weekend with fellow pupils on a school trip to Marchants Hill PGL Centre when she suddenly collapsed. She was rushed to hospital but sadly never regained consciousness.

"This is an absolutely tragedy, Charlotte was a special girl; full of fun and hard working, she loved animals and joined in everything she could.

"She will be greatly missed by the whole school community. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Charlotte's family and friends."

A police spokesman said that ther results of a post mortem examination had proved inconclusive and further tests are being carried out

An inquest was opened and adjourned on Wednesday.

Saddened by the tragic incident a spokesman for PGL told The Herald on Wednesday: "It is a great shock and the staff are all very upset. As far as anyone is aware it was a medical condition rather than an activity accident."

The PGL Activity Centre at Marchants Hill has operated for a number of years on the site and is one of 15 similar centres in the UK and 10 in France belonging to the private company based in Ross-on-Wye.

The local centre offers a wide range of activities from archery, motor sports, orienteering, mountain bike climbing, to abseiling and trapeze.

It caters for up to 250 children generally between the ages of eight to 13.

The spokesman said that the party of school children arrived on Friday evening and left on Sunday evening as planned.

It was the sixth time the school had visited Marchants Hill and it had become an annual treat for the top year of the first school, for children moving on to middle schools after the summer break

A police spokesman said that "as is standard procedure in such circumstances, police and Health and Safety Executive are investigating the death."