A four-year-old British girl was killed after being run over by a car on a Florida beach, the Highway Patrol has said.
Ellie Bland, from Nottingham, was on the sands at Daytona Beach in the south-eastern US state when the incident happened on Saturday afternoon.
The driver of the car, Barbara Worley, 66, from Elberton, Georgia, was travelling below the 10mph speed limit in the beach's designated travel lanes, Florida Highway Patrol said in a statement.
Ellie was walking hand in hand with her uncle but stepped out in front of the car and was struck by the front of it, the statement said.
Bystanders shouted for the driver to stop, which she did as Ellie lay in front of her car. But, the Highway Patrol said, Ms Worley then ran her over.
The statement said: "For an unknown reason, the driver panicked and hit the accelerator instead of the brake."
Ellie was pronounced dead at the scene.
Alcohol was ruled out as a factor in the incident. The Highway Patrol said it was investigating and that charges were pending.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Florida on March 20. The next of kin have been informed and we are providing them with assistance."
Driving is allowed on the sands of Daytona Beach but motorists are advised to watch for pedestrians, sunbathers and wildlife. A Highway Patrol spokeswoman said it was not unheard of for people to be injured by cars on the beach. The investigation into the fatal crash could take up to 90 days.
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