Heartbreaking final photograph of toddler taken just minutes before he died after fireplace fell on him

THE heartbreaking last photograph of a blessed toddler shows him playing with a equine conscionable minutes earlier helium died successful a freak fireplace accident.

Carter Walsh, two, was rushed to infirmary with superior injuries connected Wednesday day aft a fireplace fell connected him.

Tragically, helium was pronounced dormant in hospital a abbreviated clip later.

Neighbours said the lad was being looked aft by his older sister astatine the household location successful Wigan, Greater Manchester, portion their mum went to work.

In a photograph released today, Carter tin beryllium seen successful the representation gathering a equine belonging to a household person during a time retired with his relatives.

Less than fractional an hr later, the marble fireplace collapsed connected him arsenic helium danced with his relative successful the surviving room.

Speaking for the archetypal time, his heartbroken mum Samantha Walsh, 38, contiguous said of her boy: "He was my champion friend.

"He was well-loved, not conscionable by his household but by anybody that met him. He broke the hearts of everybody helium met... He was the pome of our eyes."

Carter's aunt Natalie Prescott, 35, said helium had gone retired for luncheon astatine a carvery edifice with her mum, sister and daughter, Saskia Prescott, 16, connected Wednesday.

And helium had the "best time ever" erstwhile helium got to sojourn her mum's horses - with photos showing him gazing up astatine 1 of them.

Carter was past driven backmost to his location successful Wigan, wherever Saskia had played with him for astir 20 minutes portion Samantha was out.

But catastrophe struck arsenic they were dancing successful the surviving country erstwhile the marble fireplace collapsed - aft its bottommost conception "snapped" - and fell connected him.