FATAL ACCIDENT: A police photographer at Motueka High School, where Glenn Te Miha-Barlow, 5, was killed when a log fell on him.

A five-year-old boy has died in the grounds of Motueka High School after a log rolled on to him.

Glenn Te Miha-Barlow was playing near the pile of logs with young friends when the accident happened. He had only started school this week.

Sergeant Rob Crawford of Motueka police said at about 5.45pm on Thursday, a group of four to six children, aged 4 and 5, were playing on the pile of logs beside the rugby field at Motueka High School.

"A number of children were jumping up and down on the top of the pile and the deceased was on the ground at the bottom of the pile," Mr Crawford said.

"The jumping dislodged a log that rolled off the top of the pile, killing the boy instantly."

The boy and his parents, who are from Motueka, were visiting friends at a nearby house, Mr Crawford said.

A Nelson Mail reporter at the scene said the accident happened on the school rugby field.

Police and grieving family members were with the boy's body at 7pm.

The reporter said a pile of 30 to 40 tree trunks which had been cut into logs, some of which were one metre in diameter, were visible at the scene.

The pile was stacked three to four logs high. The logs backed onto shrubs and a fence, which in turn backed onto McGlashen St houses."

Lack of signs, barriers slated

A friend and neighbour of Glenn Te Miha-Barlow said the tragedy was an "accident waiting to happen".

Helen Tuuta today was in disbelief about the loss of one of Motueka's young sons.

"This was an accident waiting to happen. I can't believe there was no barriers or signs to let kids know it wasn't safe. That's all it would've taken was a bit of bright plastic ... we have lost one of our kids from this community."

She wanted answers about why the accident had happened.

The pile of logs was unbalanced with large logs on top of smaller ones.

"What five-year-old wouldn't think that was a pirate ship or a spaceship and play on it?"

Heads needed to roll, she said.

When she first heard news of the accident she could not comprehend it.

"I went out the front and the police car pulled up and I knew it was true. It's like an illusion."