Schoolchildren said prayers in memory of their friend Hannah Tobin, four, who died after falling under the wheels of her father's tractor.

Hannah, who lived at Field Farm, North Leigh, near Witney, had just started at North Leigh Primary School after attending the local pre-school. Her brother Jamie, seven, is a pupil at the school.

North Leigh vicar the Rev Ross Collins, who is also chairman of the school's board of governors, helped teachers comfort Hannah's shocked schoolmates yesterday.

Deputy headteacher Maureen Trotman said: "Hannah had only been in the school a short time but she was very cheerful.

"We prepared a little talk about how beautiful Hannah's life had been and how she needed to be remembered as a cheerful little girl.

"Then we said prayers and thought about her family. The children are extremely upset."

Mr Collins spent part of the day comforting Hannah's parents, Bob and Veronica and their other children, Jamie and 17-month-old Sarah. He said: "It was an awful accident and an absolute tragedy. They are both so shocked they just don't know what to say or do. Hannah sometimes came to Sunday school. She was a lovely little girl and very pretty. I know the family well. Their farm is right next to the church." Angela Buckingham, of North Leigh Pre-School, said: "It is so terribly sad. We have still got some of her work and photographs of her up on the walls.

"I will always remember her for the fact she was always smiling. She had rosy red cheeks and curly hair and looked like a typical country girl.

"She was just a joy and always so bright and bubbly."

Field Farm is owned by Mrs Tobin's father Alun Mathias. His daughter and son-in-law took it over about four years ago after farming in Wales.

The family regularly hold open days at the farm to raise money for the pre-school and local branch of Riding for the Disabled.

Mrs Buckingham said: "They were always there to help and just so giving."

Louise Chapman, a parent teacher at North Leigh School whose four-year-old daughter Lydia was one of Hannah's friends, said: "It is so terribly sad. They were all together at a birthday party enjoying themselves in Witney only the day before the accident."

Hannah was sitting in the cab of the tractor in a field in Ramsden when her mother came to collect her at about 3.30pm on Monday. Bob had been making hay.

A police spokesman said: "It would appear the little girl jumped down to run to to her mother. The father, thinking she was clear of the tractor moved off, but she was not clear and she came under the vehicle's wheels.'

Attempts by police and paramedics to revive her failed and she was declared dead at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

The Health and Safety Executive is carrying out an investigation into the tragedy.

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