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Woman critical, three others injured after tree fall at Melbourne racecourse

A woman is fighting for life and three others have been hospitalised after a large tree fell on them and several cars at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse.

The gum tree came down on the four pedestrians and multiple vehicles at a carpark of the racecourse on Epsom Road in Flemington about 6.19pm yesterday.

A woman was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with critical injuries.

READ MORE: State funeral offered after Australian cricket legend Shane Warne dies aged 52

Three others who were also hit by the tree, two Essendon West women aged 72 and 63-years-old and a 68-year-old man from Moonee Ponds, were also taken to hospital.

Another man suffered a back injury while helping those who were hit, according to police.

Bookmaker Jonathan Walsh has said on Twitter that the tree falling "sounded like a gunshot", leading to many people rushing to help.

He said he did not think the weather was "especially windy" at the time.

A racegoer has also said online that was so loud they thought a temporary grand stand had fallen down.

Victoria Racing Club has since released a statement confirming the incident involving patrons of the racecourse.

"Our immediate thoughts are with those injured and their families," the Club has said.

"The focus of the Victoria Racing Club is providing any assistance we can to those affected."

The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated by police.

'It is not time to let your guard down'

A reprieve from inundating floodwaters in New South Wales has been short-lived, with flooding again today and the state bracing to face more days of stormy and dangerous weather.

While the sun was out yesterday, flooding has continued to occur in NSW on Sunday.

The suburb of Schofields, north-west of Sydney, was inundated with water early this morning, following a night of thunderstorms and heavy rain.

READ MORE: Queensland's flood death toll rises to 11 after woman's body found

While the neighbouring suburb of Riverstone was also hit with heavy rainfall again.

Diane Baldwin told 9News there was "probably about a foot of water" in her home, marking the third time it had flooded this week.

In Oxley Park, west of Sydney, a man woke at 7.30am to his car underwater.

A severe weather warning is still in place for heavy rainfall, stretching from Sydney metropolitan area to the Illawarra and the Australian Capital Territory, in the coming days.

Several flood warnings are in place across NSW, ranging from minor to major.

A severe thunderstorm warning is also in place for parts of the state's Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands.

The flooding at St Marys in NSW

A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall remains in place in NSW for the Illawarra and parts of the Hunter, metropolitan region, South Coast, Central Tablelands and Southern Tablelands.

READ MORE: Putin warns any third parties who declare Ukraine no-fly zone will be considered 'participation in the armed conflict'

"Heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding is forecast for the western Metropolitan area, eastern slopes of the Central and Southern Tablelands, and through the Illawarra and South Coast districts," the BoM warned.

NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York is urging people to prepare. NSW Floods

"Heavy rainfall will then likely extend throughout the warning area by early Monday morning."

NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York has urged people in areas that might be flooded again to be prepared to evacuate.

"It's really important people do keep up with these weather forecasts," she said.

"It is not time to let your guard down…It is still dangerous out there."

State funeral to be held for Shane Warne

A state funeral will be held for cricket legend Shane Warne following his sudden death in Thailand on Friday.

Warne's family today accepted the offer of a state funeral made by both the Victorian Government and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the public event "will be an opportunity for Victorians to pay tribute to his contribution to his sport, to our state and the country".

READ MORE: State funeral offered after Shane Warne dies aged 52

https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1500340838970576899

"I've spoken with the Warne family again today and they have accepted my offer of a State Funeral to remember Shane," he said.

Details of the funeral are set to be finalised in the coming days.

Warne was into the second day of a three-month break when he died of a suspected heart attack, his manager James Erskine said.

Shane Warne was into the second day of a three-month break when he died of a suspected heart attack, his manager said.

Mr Erskine, also a friend of Warne, revealed he has since found out the cricket legend had "a bit of chest pain" and was sweating last week.

Warne's body was today transferred from the island of Koh Samui to the Thai mainland.

He will be transported back to Australia after an autopsy.

Warne was found by his friend Andrew Neophitou, an executive producer on his recently released documentary, who had gone to Warne's Thailand residence before a planned meeting with friends at 5pm.

When he was not ready on time, his friends knew something was amiss.

"He was always on time, Warnie," Mr Erskine said.

"Then at quarter past five Neo knocked on his door and no answer.

"He wandered in, he said 'Come on, Warnie. Wake up, wake up' then realised there was something wrong."

What followed was a 20-minute procedure of CPR and mouth-to-mouth.

"Unfortunately he was then put in an ambulance and when he got to the hospital he was pronounced dead," Mr Erskine said.

Mr Erskine said he expected an autopsy to take place overseas following Warne's sudden death.

"I think the family would prefer an autopsy in Australia but I think that's going to happen now in Thailand," he said.

"I don't know definitely about that but I think that will happen."

Mr Neophitou said they "really just want to get Shane home".

Police in Thailand said there was no suspicion of foul play.

Australian Ambassador to Thailand Allan McKinnon thanked the police and hospital staff for helping to get Warne's body back to Australia as quickly as possible.

"They've been very compassionate and efficient and very understanding," he said.

READ MORE: Shane Warne's candid interview with A Current Affair

Mr Erskine said he was told by Warne's secretary Helen that the former cricketer had "a bit of chest pain" and was sweating last week.

"I only found that out later on after he'd died, I didn't know that at the time," he said.

"He did go on these ridiculous sort of diets, and he was just finished one, where he basically only ate fluids for 14 days and he'd done this three or four times.

"It was a bit all or nothing. It was either white buns with butter and lasagne stuffed in the middle or he would be basically having these black and green juices."

'He never changed'

Mr Erskine said there were many things he loved about the late cricketer.

Warne was the type of person who "could talk to the Queen of England and the dust bin man at the same time".

"He could almost persuade the Queen to take out his dust bins," he said.

Regardless of the situation, Warne was honest and himself, Mr Erskine said.

"I think the thing I most loved is he never changed," he said.

"It didn't matter what situation he was in.

"He had this unbelievable confidence and the bigger the theatre, the bigger the stage, he was there."

'Like a bad dream'

Mr Erskine had the hard task of delivering the bad news to Warne's family

"Warne's three children Jackson, Summer and Brooke "are in complete shock" since their father's death.

"Jackson just said 'We expect him to walk in the door. This is like a bad dream'," he told Today.

His manager also spoke to his ex-wife Simone Callahan and Warne's father Keith.

"They can't believe what's happened," he said.

Shane Warne and son Jackson

"I think that's what happens when you have a sudden death and you're not expecting it.

"One minute the kids are talking to him every day and the next minute they can't talk to him.

"They start talking about 'he's not going to be there for my 21st, he's not going to take me down the aisle'.

"Those things go through your head. They are having a much harder time than anybody really."

Tributes to an Australian legend

The Prime Minister said Australia had lost one of its greatest cricket players.

"We have lost one of Australia's greatest cricketers," Mr Morrison said in a statement.

"We are bewildered by this sad and sudden loss.

READ MORE: Shane Warne's life in pictures: From Victoria boy to Aussie 'Spin King'

Australia's Shane Warne is carried around the field with the official Ashes Trophy

"In recognition of Shane Warne's national achievements, his family will be offered a state funeral by the Commonwealth Government.

"This will be done in consultation with the Warne family, Cricket Australia and the Victorian Government to ensure we honour Shane's passing and memory."

Mr Andrews also announced the MCG's largest grandstand — the 45,000-seat Great Southern Stand — will be permanently renamed in Warne's honour.

"The Government will rename the Great Southern Stand at the MCG — the place he took his hat-trick and 700th wicket — to honour Shane and his contribution to the game," Mr Andrews said on Twitter.

"The S.K. Warne Stand will be a permanent tribute to an amazing Victorian."

Former prime minister John Howard also paid tribute to Warne, while wearing a Cricket Australia polo.

"You could work out why he was such a good bowler when you listen to his commentary because he knows the intricacies of the game and all great players are like that," he said.

His former fiancee, actress Elizabeth Hurley, posted a photo tribute of their love story.

"I feel like the sun has gone behind a cloud forever," she wrote on Instagram.

"Rest in peace my beloved Lionheart."

Tributes also came in from across the world, with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, and British comedian and actor Stephen Fry just some of the notable overseas names to react to Warne's death.

One of the greatest bowlers of all time, and arguably Australia's finest cricketer behind only Sir Donald Bradman, Warne finished his career with 1001 international wickets.

NSW public schools to offer free sanitary products

Sanitary products are set to be available for free at all New South Wales public schools under a new $30 million state government program.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell has announced the launch of the program ahead of International Women's Day.

"I want our young women to feel comfortable in knowing they have access to free sanitary products when they need," Ms Mitchell said.

READ MORE: NSW Northern Rivers communities beg for government help

NSW students will start a staggered classroom return from late October, the state government announced. (AAP)

The initiative will provide every state school with dispensers that will supply tampons and pads for free.

It follows a trial of the program in 31 schools in South Western Sydney and the Dubbo region.

"We have seen through the pilot program that providing sanitary items has a positive impact on educational engagement and attainment, " Ms Mitchell said.

Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said many young women had been calling for the rollout.

"By openly discussing periods, endometriosis and reproductive health we are removing the taboo around women's health issues," Ms Taylor said.

The program is expected to be rolled out to every school by the end of June.

Teenager killed in buggy rollover north-east of Adelaide

A 16-year-old boy is dead after a buggy rolled over in a town north-east of Adelaide.

The teenager was a passenger in the buggy, which was being driven on-road by another 16-year-old boy, when it rolled over just after 9pm yesterday in Paracombe.

The passenger, who was from Modbury Heights, died at the scene on Pitt Road.

READ MORE: Woman critical, three others injured after tree fall at Melbourne racecourse

The driver was taken to hospital for observation.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the boy's death.