The family of a seven-year-old girl who died after a tree collapsed on her in a park has described her as “a light in our lives”.
Leonna Ruka, from Dagenham in east London, was visiting Southend-on-Sea with family.
Emergency services were called to Chalkwell Park shortly before 15:00 BST on Saturday, but Leonna died in hospital.
A six-year-old girl, who was also under the tree and is Leonna’s cousin, remains critically ill in hospital.
In a statement Leonna’s family said: “It is with broken hearts and unimaginable pain that we share the devastating loss of our beloved daughter Leonna – our beautiful, bright, and loving little girl, taken from us far too soon.
“Leonna was more than just a child – she was a light in our lives and in the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her.
“She was funny, kind, and full of life – a shining star who brought happiness wherever she went.
“From the moment she walked into a room, she would light it up.
“She was the kind of girl who gave love without asking for anything in return.
“She was perfect – too perfect for a world that can be so cruel and unfair.”
