A SIX-YEAR-OLD girl was airlifted to hospital after suffering a blow to the head at the Sailors' Reading Room in Southwold.

It is understood the girl struck her head on an object, thought to be a cast iron maritime compass, a spokeswoman for the East Anglian Air Ambulance said.

The child was treated by staff from the airborne ambulance team on Wednesday afternoon before being flown to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

The clinical team were flown to the scene, landing on the grass area close to the reading room.

When they arrived, the medical crew aboard Anglia One assessed the patient and prepared her to be airlifted to hospital where she received further assessment and treatment.

A statement released by the East Anglian Air Ambulance said: 'A six-year-old girl was treated by medics from the East Anglian Air Ambulance and flown to Addenbrooke's Hospital after an object hit her head.''

Critical care paramedic, Gary Steward, said: 'Thanks to the new aircraft, we were able to take this little girl's mother with her to the hospital.' John Winter, chairman of the reading rooms committee, said he had not been there but had heard about the incident.

Built in 1864 in memory of Captain Charles Rayley, a naval officer at the time of Trafalgar, the reading room was a refuge for fishermen and sailors, a place to meet and receive religious instruction, away from the pubs, and somewhere to read things that were 'good for the soul.' Now a registered charity it is still a members' organisation which is proud to number fishermen, lifeboatmen and coastguards among its membership.

The Reading Room gives a fascinating glimpse of Southwold's maritime history and it is full of models, photographs and items donated over the years.