The girl, named locally as Alice Kelly, suffered head injuries when it came down in Reinwood Park, in Huddersfield.

Passers-by ran to her aid, and paramedics tried to revive her, but she died in hospital.

Police described the incident as a "tragic accident" and have launched an investigation to find out what caused the tree to fall.

The girl was taken from the park, off Millfield Close, to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, where she died a short time later.

Elaine Kidger, 77, was watching TV at home when the tragedy unfolded outside her back door.

Still shaken, she said: "I heard the creaking of the tree as it was falling. One half of it fell and the other half stayed up.

"I saw the tree falling. I went out and I could hear them shouting. She was actually under the tree.

"There were some young girls around her and her mother came out and she was just in a terrible state.

"The ambulance couldn't come quickly enough for her. Paramedics tried to resuscitate her but I could see that they couldn't do much for her."

Ethna Armstrong, 64, of Huddersfield, went to help the girl after hearing screaming while she walked her dog in the park.

She and a companion rushed to the scene when they noticed a young girl running to try to catch up with her friends.

"The next thing they were screaming, and we came running," she said. "There was the girl trapped under the tree.

"She never murmured the whole time. We stayed until the ambulance came. We had to ring three times. It was a freak accident."

Police and paramedics received the call shortly after 3pm.

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "I saw the ambulance go up. I was watching TV and suddenly I heard the sound of police and fire engines and an ambulance.

"I knew the little girl by sight."

Last night there were huddles of teenagers comforting one another at the scene and taking flowers as a tribute to their friend.

Neighbours believe the girl lived in a house just yards away from the park with her mother and older brother.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "This appears to be a tragic accident, and the coroner's officer has also been informed.

"At this moment we are not able to speculate in relation to the condition of the tree or the weather conditions at the time
– those are still being investigated."