A family from High Wycombe has been left devastated after a young girl was tragically killed in a playground accident.

Little Amberlie Pennington-Foley, three, was fatally injured while at the park in Upper Hutt, New Zealand, where she lived with her parents.

Amberlie’s mum and dad, Emma and Rob, moved to New Zealand nine years ago, but her father is originally from High Wycombe and many family members still live there.

Heartbroken family and friends are now trying to raise cash to arrange for grieving relatives in the UK to fly over to New Zealand.

A fundraising page that has been set up to support Amberlie’s family has so far raised more than £23,000.

The page reads: “After a tragic accident in the playground, three-year-old Amberlie passed away, leaving her parents, Emma and Rob and baby brother Theo absolutely devastated.

“Emma and Rob moved to New Zealand nine years ago from the UK to set up a new life for themselves and to start a family. They left their parents and all their extended family in the UK.

“Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the global travel restrictions, it is proving very difficult and expensive to get their family to New Zealand to support one-another during this terrible time.

“We know that so many of Emma and Rob's friends and family want to help at this extremely difficult time so we have set up this page as an avenue for people to help if they are able to do so and would like to.”

The money raised will go towards international and internal flights, quarantine, accommodation for immediate family and a celebration of Amberlie’s “short but happy” life.

Anything left over will go to Amberlie’s parents Emma and Rob to ease any financial burden on the family.

Speaking to news website Stuff, Amberlie’s distraught mother Emma said her daughter had “touched the lives of so many” and was grateful to everyone who had donated money or delivered flowers and food to the family.

Amberlie’s grandmother Sue told the Bucks Free Press: “The tragic loss of Amberlie has devastated all family members on both sides. It was a tragic, catastrophic accident, we are all broken hearted and just want to get to New Zealand to support my son, his lovely wife and baby son... who Amberlie adored.”

To donate, go online to https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-amberlies-family