Five teenagers were rushed to hospital in the space of three and a half hours after heat exhaustion took its toll at an inter-school’s athletic tournament in Shrewsbury.
The youngsters fell ill at a school’s sports competition at London Road, in the grounds of Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology, during the recent heatwave as temperatures rose as high as 24 degrees.
Four separate calls were made for West Midlands Ambulance service to attend the running track during the afternoon as five ambulances and a rapid response vehicle transported the youngsters to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
All five pupils were aged between 13 and 15 and reported similar symptoms including faintness, pain in the abdomen and chest, and breathlessness during the tournament last Wednesday (June 30).
The first emergency call was made at around 1.20pm and a 13-year-old girl was taken to hospital after complaining of chest pain having taken part in a track event.
Another 13-year-old girl was taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital half an hour later suffering with abdominal pain, and then shortly after, at around 2.45pm, two ambulance crews were back on the scene as a 15-year-old girl and another student were taken ill.
Finally, just before 5pm, one ambulance and a rapid response vehicle were sent back to the sports track when the fifth casualty, a 14-year-old pupil, developed breathing problems.
Chris Kowalik, spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “We received a total of four calls throughout the afternoon to a running track in Shrewsbury and transported five students to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
“The first call was received at 1.22pm on Wednesday when a girl who had been running in a sports event reported chest pain and all the incidents that followed were of a similar nature.”
Neil Willcox, head of leisure and outdoor recreation at Shropshire Council, said: “Staff acted professionally at all times in managing the situation and supported the teachers to make sure that all people attending the event were aware of the dangers of overheating and took precautions including drinking water.
“We are confident that all the correct procedures were followed, but will seek to review our risk assessments and review operating practices in light of this experience.”
By David Seadon
