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Investigation after toddler crushed by snowman
An investigation was under way in an Austrian ski resort after a British toddler was crushed by a giant snowman, police said today.
The child, who was named as two-year-old Louis Nisbett-Vindal, struggled to breathe after the three-metre high figure collapsed on him, the local tourist board said.
It took his parents, Yves Vindal and Michelle Nisbett, more than five minutes to rescue him with the help of volunteers, the Olympic Region of Seefeld tourist board director said.
Markus Tsehoner said: "The boy was trying to fix a broken hand on the snowman but the sun had been shining and the figure collapsed on top of him.
"It was a big accident that no-one could have foreseen. It was a big shock for everyone.
"He was pulled out but for some minutes it was a very dangerous situation."
Louis and his parents, from Chorleywood in Hertfordshire, were all crying during the incident on Sunday, he added.
"Everyone wanted to help but they had no tools to dig him out so they tried with their hands but no-one wanted to pull him in case they hurt him more," he said.
Louis was taken to the University Hospital in Innsbruck by helicopter where he was monitored overnight.
A hospital spokesman said: "The boy was scared as it was a big snowman, but there were no real injuries and he was discharged yesterday."
Seefeld Police are investigating the incident and will decide in a few days whether to bring criminal charges, a spokesman said.
The snowman was one of about 20 figures in the area that had been built for an annual festival.
This was the first time such an accident had occurred in the 20 to 30 years the festival had been running, Mr Tsehoner said.
The tourist board is now checking the other snow sculptures and has removed one or two to avoid any more accidents.
It has offered an apology to Louis and his family, who were believed to be on a ski-ing holiday in Leutasch in the Tyrol region of western Austria.
The mountainous area is a popular winter sports destination.
The University Hospital in Innsbruck, the capital of the Tyrol, deals with about 3,300 ski, snow boarding and tobogganing casualties every year, its spokesman said.
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Weather for Leeds
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 0 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
