NORTH Weald Bassett Parish Council is banning bouncy castles at The Parish Hall, Thornwood Common, until the inquiry into the death of a seven-year-old on an inflatable in Harlow has been finalised.

Councillors agreed on Monday to suspend its policy which had seen the council allow bouncy castles at events at The Parish Hall with the council having to approve the operator having seen their Public Liability Insurance cover.

Bouncy castles have been used at events at the hall about five times a year, Monday’s parish council meeting was told.

The decision means there will be no bouncy castle at this year’s Thornwood Village Day.

North Weald district and parish councillor Dave Stallan proposed that the parish council suspended approval of bouncy castles until a report has been published into the Harlow Town Park incident in which seven year-old Summer Grant died.

He told the parish council meeting: “I would like to put on hold our procedure until the results of the inquiry into what happened in Harlow, in case any recommendations come out.”

He added: “I don’t want us to agree to continue and then we have to bring the matter back because something comes out of the very thorough investigation into what happened.”

Parish council clerk Sue DeLuca said: “I’m really uncomfortable with the use of bouncy castles at the moment.”​