Tributes to British schoolgirl after swimming tragedy on France trip

The family of 12-year-old British schoolgirl Jessica Lawson are in France preparing to bring her body home "so she can be remembered forever".

Initial reports suggest Jessica and her friends swam out to a pontoon which flipped over, trapping her underneath but an inquiry is thought to have been opened into her death.

ITV News Correspondent Martin Geissler reports:

An inquiry has reportedly been opened in France to determine if 12-year-old Jessica Lawson's death was "simply an accident" or not.

The youngster was on a school trip when she died in what has been described as a "swimming incident".

Mehdi Razine, a worker at the activity centre where the tragedy happened, said he saw a plastic pontoon on the lake flip over.

"There was a girl who suffered a nasty blow as it turned and she fell into the water."

French journalist Julien Balidas told ITV News Calendar it was a diving board which had collapsed and Jessica "didn't get out".

The other children on the trip are thought to be returning to the UK this afternoon.

The father of a girl who died in a swimming accident on a school holiday to France has paid a family tribute to his "beautiful, loving daughter".

In a Facebook post, Anthony Lawson said:

More: Tributes left for 'amazing friend' Jessica

French journalist, Julien Balidas, describes the accident in which a schoolgirl from Hull died in France.

12-year-old Jess Lawson, who has been named online by her family, was on a trip with classmates from Wolfreton School, near Hull when the incident, which is being described as a "swimming accident" happened:

The family of a girl from Hull who died on a school trip to France have paid tribute to her.

Writing on Facebook, Polly Lawson said her 12-year-old sister, Jess, had died in what is being described as a 'swimming accident'.

She was among twenty four students and three staff on a visit to an adventure centre in the Massif Central region of France:

The classmates of a schoolgirl killed during a trip to France are to return home to Hull.

Jess Lawson died in what is being described as a 'swimming accident' near to Liginiac, in the south of the country.

Her classmates, from Wolfreton School, near Hull, who were with her on the trip are to return home:

The death of a school girl from Hull could spark a criminal investigation in France, amid local media reports that the children became trapped after a pontoon they were playing on collapsed.

Jon Hill reports from Wolfreton School.

Wolfreton School head teacher Dave McCready has said the death of a pupil on a school trip to France is a "dreadful shock."

Mr McCready said authorities in France have already begun an investigation into the girl's death and her family are already in Meymac where the accident happened.

He said efforts were being made to bring the remaining pupils and staff back from France.

Flowers have been left outside the school where a 12-year-old who has died in a swimming accident in France studied.

The head teacher of Wolfreton School in Hull said the girl's death was a "dreadful shock".

Activ4 have released the following statement: