Brooke Louise Wiggins: Inquest to examine death of young girl crushed to death by a tree branch, owned and managed by Surrey County Council, which fell whilst she was playing on a rope swing attached to it
Before: HM Assistant Coroner Ivor Collett
At: South London Coroner’s Court
Final hearing commences: 22 April 2026
Scheduled to last 3 days (concluding 24/04/2026)
Interested Persons (‘IPs’): deceased’s family, Surrey County Council (‘SCC’), London
Borough of Sutton (‘LBS’), and the Health and Safety Executive (‘HSE’)
Brooke Louise Wiggins died on 9 November 2024 aged 12, after using a rope swing attached to a tree branch which failed, resulting in fatal injuries. The tree in question was under the control of SCC, but the relevant tree branch extended over land owned by LBS. The tree was located in a wooded clearing along the boundary between a public right of way managed by SCC and land owned by LBS, behind a residential area.
Now an inquest will take place to examine the circumstances of her death.
The scope of this inquest includes:
- Who, when, where and how (factually) Brooke came by her death. Including:
i. How the branch that Brooke was swinging on failed; and
ii. Why the branch that Brooke was swinging on failed. - The medical cause of death.
- The role of SCC re ownership, inspection and maintenance of the Tree.
However, the Coroner is reviewing whether the scope may be expanded to include the role of LBS regarding ownership of the accident site, public access to it, and any inspection or management of it.
It is understood at present that identified remedial works to the tree were not completed by SCC in accordance with their own plan, nor was a scheduled follow-up re-inspection of the tree carried out prior to Brooke’s death.
Brooke’s maternal family (her mother, uncle, grandad and brother) are being represented by Clare Evans and Emily Hayman of Saunders Law, and Tamar Burton of Cloisters. For all media inquiries, please contact: Clare Evans at [email protected] or on 020 7632 4300.