Teen Dies 'After Being Hit By Cricket Ball'

Tributes are being paid to a 16-year-old boy who died after apparently being hit on the head by a cricket ball while at school in Bournemouth.

Kyle Rees suffered a serious head injury during the incident at Portchester School, in Bournemouth, Dorset, on Monday.

Dorset Police said the incident happened at 2.10pm and Kyle was taken by ambulance to Bournemouth Hospital. It's been widely reported that he was hit by a cricket ball.

He was later transferred to Southampton General Hospital where he died on Tuesday.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the incident, initially for an offence of assault and subsequently on suspicion of manslaughter. 

He has been released on bail while inquiries continue. Police were informed of the incident at 7.30pm on Monday and officers are continuing to investigate. A police cordon remains in place at the school.

Teachers and children have been helping police with their inquiries and the local Safeguarding Children's Board has been informed.

Tributes to the teenager have been left on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.

There are also more than a hundred flowers now outside the school.

Debbie Godfrey-Phaure, executive head of Portchester School, said: "Students and staff are devastated by this terrible tragedy and our hearts and prayers are very much with the boy's family and friends.

"It is difficult to know what to do for the best in these distressing circumstances but our focus must be providing as much support as possible to our close-knit school community as we all try to come to terms with what has happened.

"The next few weeks and months are going to be emotionally testing for our students and staff, but we will be doing all we can for them."We are also fully assisting the authorities with their investigations.

"The emergency services cannot be praised highly enough for their prompt actions at the time, and we also pay tribute to the outstanding medical help he received at hospital."At an appropriate time we will be celebrating his memory and life at school.

"He was a memorable and talented young man. He was very popular with his peers and was due to do well in his GCSEs this summer."

Kim Drake, director for children's social care at Bournemouth Borough Council, said: "We have set up a counselling service at the school to offer pupils, staff and parents support following this tragic incident at the school and we are currently working with both the school and the police with their investigation."

Today the school released a fresh statement criticising what it's calling 'innaccurate reporting' of what happened.

"We are horrified by the inaccurate reporting in the media concerning the circumstances surrounding Kyle's death.

"Some sections of media have been using unsubstantiated and incorrect information from social media, and quoting sources that weren't at the scene. Kyle and our students deserve the truth –not rumour or conjecture.

"Our hands are tied by the ongoing police investigation so we cannot confirm or deny any more details concerning the incident on Monday.  We ask that we and our students are left in peace to manage our grief.

"Emotions are still very raw in our school community and we must be allowed to focus all our energies on our students and not false reporting.

"Many thanks."