Nine-year-old boy dies after collapsing at school due to suspected allergic reaction in Birmingham

West Midlands Police launch investigation after child collapses during school day and later dies

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A nine-year-old boy has died after suffering a suspect allergic reaction while at school, police have said.

Paramedics were called to Al Hijrah School in Birmingham at around 2:20pm on Friday after the child collapsed, but attempts to resuscitate the youngster failed and he later died in nearby Heartlands Hospital.

It has been reported that teachers were struggling to find his epi-pen to treat the child after he suffered an allergic reaction.

West Midlands Police have launched an investigation into the tragedy and a post-mortem examination is expected to be carried out shortly.

Reports suggest the child suffered an allergic reaction to a fish and chips school dinner, but they could not be verified at the time of writing.

Birmingham City Council, which manages the school, said it is supporting the boy’s family along with specially trained police officers.

Brigid Jones, the city council's cabinet member for children, families and schools, said on Twitter: "My thoughts are with the family of the young man who tragically died following an incident at school yesterday."

Al-Hijrah is a voluntary-aided Islamic school for four to 18-year-olds, catering for 780 pupils, states the school on its Facebook page.

The school was at the centre of controversy in 2014 when it was placed in special measures after an inspection by education standards watchdog Ofsted declared it to be “inadequate”.

Later in the same year, council officials in Birmingham investigated claims that a trust running the school spent £1 million of public money funding a new school in Pakistan.

There is at present no suggestion that the school is at fault for the child's death.

Colin Diamond, Birmingham Council's executive director for education, said in a statement: “We were so sorry to hear about this tragic death and our thoughts are with his family and friends.

"We know the school is doing all it can to support the family through this terrible time and we are working with the school and police as they continue to look into the circumstances."