The parents of an eight-year-old girl who died following a playground accident last week have described their daughter as “an angel”.

Freya James died in non-suspicious circumstances while playing at Trafalgar Junior School on February 14.

Full details of the incident at the Elmsleigh Road school are being investigated by the police and Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Freya’s parents said: “Freya was an angel and was loved by everybody who had contact with her. She was a bundle of energy from the time she woke up to the time she went to bed.

“She was so strong and determined in everything she did and always tried to help those that struggled. Our princess has gone but we know her spirit and her memories will always be with us. Our lives have been absolutely shattered. Our hearts, bodies and souls are aching constantly and we are left with scars that will never heal.”

Headteacher Neil Meehan held a school assembly on Friday, February 15, where he broke the news of Freya’s death.

The vice-chairman of governors at the school, Barry Proudfoot said: “It has to be the saddest assembly I have ever been to, but it’s our intention to celebrate her life at some point. The school community have rallied round to offer their support and I expect that will carry on.

“I think everyone is desperately sad at her loss, and our hearts go out to her mum and dad and her family.”

Children were offered counselling sessions with a child psychologist on February 15 and the playground was closed at points throughout the morning while officers and HSE inspectors carried out investigations.

A postmortem examination will take place at St Thomas’s Hospital tomorrow, with the cause of death expected to be announced then.

A police spokesman said: “I can confirm that police are investigating the death of a child following an incident at a school in Twickenham at about 1.15pm on Thursday, February 14.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said staff were at the school four minutes after receiving a call.

The spokesman said: “We were called at 1.25pm on February 14, to reports of a patient taken unwell at Trafalgar Junior School, Twickenham.

“We sent one ambulance and a single responder in a car to the scene.

“Our staff treated one patient. A girl believed to be eight years old who was taken as a priority to West Middlesex Hospital.”