An 11-year-old Sussex boy choked to death on a dart from a toy gun in a tragedy at a holiday park.

Scott West was playing with the gun when a 2cm-long soft air dart became lodged in his throat.

Nurses staying at the camp thought he was choking on food and helped on-site first-aiders desperately trying to resuscitate him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Scott was with his aunt and uncle and two young cousins at the Sandy Balls holiday centre in the New Forest, near Fordingbridge, Hampshire, when the tragedy happened at 4pm on Monday.

A post-mortem yesterday revealed the dart got stuck in his throat.

His devastated family were last night coming to terms with his death at home in Cousins Way, Pulborough.

A relative said: "At this precise moment we don't know what has actually happened ourselves. We don't want to say anything until we know more."

Andrew Howe, the managing director of the Sandy Balls centre, said staff and guests were horrified.

He said: "It has been an absolutely horrendous, traumatic experience for everybody but more particularly for Scott's family.

"I'm a father myself and I can't begin to imagine what his parents are going through. It just shows how fragile life is. This was such a horrible accident."

Mr Howe said Scott and his relatives had been staying in a touring caravan on the site.

He added: "We have a number of qualified first aiders on site and there were two nurses nearby at the time who tried to do their best for him. The ambulance came in nine minutes but it was too late.

"This is a happy place and people normally go around with a big smile.

"But something like this has upset everyone. I think we are all just worried for the family. It may be upsetting for us but it must be one hundred times worse for them."

A police spokeswoman said: "It appears this young boy was playing with the gun and the dart has gone into his mouth somehow and he has choked. There is no suggestion of suspicious circumstances. It appears this was a tragic accident."

Trading standards officers have launched an investigation.

A spokesman said: "Hampshire County Council trading standards department has been informed and it is conducting tests on this toy and other toys like it to ensure they comply with British and European safety standards."

An inquest has been opened and adjourned to a date yet to be set.