A man in his 20s has died after suffering serious head injuries in a workplace accident at a funfair in North Tyneside, police have said.

Emergency services were called to the Spanish City Summer Funfair in Whitley Bay after being alerted at 2.15pm that a man had been injured. He was treated at the scene but was declared dead a short time later. The victim has not been named.

The funfair, which is in Whitley Bay’s Spanish City Plaza area, has been shut “until further notice” and the Health and Safety Executive has been informed. A spokesperson for Northumbria police said: “Shortly after 2.15pm, we received a report that a man had been injured in a workplace accident at Spanish City Summer Funfair in the Spanish City Plaza area of Whitley Bay in North Tyneside.

“Emergency services attended and a man in his 20s was found to have suffered serious head injuries. Despite the best efforts of medical staff who attended the scene, a short time later the man was sadly declared dead.

“His next of kin have been contacted and are being supported by specialist officers.”

Police said anyone who has information on the incident can contact officers by sending them a direct message on social media, or by using the live chat or report-form functions on the force’s website. The force spokesperson added: “Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this extremely difficult time.

“We have contacted the Health and Safety Executive and are working with them to establish exactly what happened.”