AN inquiry has been launched into how "killer" goal posts were left unchained on an East Lancashire playing field despite the deaths of three youngsters.

The investigation follows the death at the weekend of another youngster killed in similar circumstances to Blackburn teenager Wayne Turner, who died when a post he had been swinging on fell over and hit his head.

Two-year-old Emma Barton died after a set of posts fell on her at Ipswich, in Suffolk, on Saturday and a Cheshire youngster also died earlier this year.

The Blackburn Council investigation centres on mobile goal posts used on a field shared by footballers and model aircraft enthusiasts at Pleasington, Blackburn. The posts are secured to a fence when not in use. Blackburn Council's Director of Community and Leisure Services, Mr Eddie Runswick, said he was aware that the posts had been left unchained for "a couple of days" while not in use. He added: "I am appalled that they were left unchained. We have a contract with our operations department to secure the goal posts on Saturdays and Sundays when the field is made available for model aircraft people.

"An inquiry is already under way into how this could have happened, especially in the light of the Shadsworth incident. We are also aware of the tragic death of another youngster just this weekend."

Blackburn Council was fined £12,000 for not fixing defective posts at the Shadsworth Leisure Centre despite warnings that it was unsafe.

Wayne Turner, 13, had climbed through a fence to use the artificial grass pitch out of hours when the accident occurred just over a year ago.

His mother Barbara Wrigley of Brodick Road, Blackburn, is still planning to sue the council in a bid to publicise the danger.

The jury at the inquest into Wayne's death returned a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Runswick said the goal posts were perfectly safe when used in the correct way.

But he added: "We are replacing the removable goal posts for a safer version in the very near future."

"We are confident that they are safe when used in the correct way and could not stop using them in any event because it would cause severe disruption to the league fixtures."

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