Girl, 8, killed after Land Rover ‘crashes into tea party’ at Wimbledon primary school as driver arrested
Number of victims still being treated in hospital after 10 taken there following incident at The Study Prep School on Thursday
An eight-year-old girl has been killed and at least 15 others injured after a Land Rover crashed into a primary school in Wimbledon during a last day of term celebration.
A number of the victims are still being treated in hospital after 10 were taken there following the incident at Wilberforce House, The Study Preparatory School, on Camp Road, on Thursday morning.
Police confirmed that the driver of the vehicle, a woman aged in her 40s, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
During a press conference at the scene, Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland teared up as she confirmed a girl had died. Her voice broke as she said: “Very sadly one of the children, an eight-year-old girl, died at the scene. Our thoughts are with her family at this incredibly difficult time.”
Have you been affected by this story? If so email tara.cobham@independent.co.uk
London Ambulance Service Chief Paramedic Dr John Martin told reporters 10 people were taken to hospital, with a number still being treated there.
Dr Martin said: “We dispatched multiple resources including specialist critical care paramedics, London’s air ambulance and 15 ambulances. We declared a major incident. We treated 16 patients on scene. Sadly, as we’ve heard, one eight-year-old girl died.”
Neither commented on reports the event the group was celebrating was a tea party when the car ploughed into them.
Ms Kelland described a “very crowded, busy, chaotic scene”. Officers were called at 9.54am to reports a car had crashed into a building at the school, attending the scene alongside London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade. A large police cordon has been in place, stretching onto Wimbledon Common where officers have been moving dog walkers and passers-by away from the scene.
Visibly upset parents could be seen embracing each other in front of the cordon, anxiously holding hands as they gathered outside the cordon to collect their children earlier on Thursday. One mother wept as she walked her child to the car.
Speaking to The Independent at the scene, Stephen Hammond, the Conservative MP for Wimbledon, said the primary school was “well-known” in the area and catered to a number of local families. Describing the news as “tragic”, he wrote on social media that his thoughts are with the family and friends of the girl who has died.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said the “devastating” incident happened when school staff and children “should have been enjoying their last day of term” before the summer holidays.
Local residents appeared baffled and shocked at the news. One elderly man said it was “heartbreaking” and that the school had always been full of “lovely’” pupils, well-respected in the community.
Ms Kelland said officers will be looking to identify witnesses and view CCTV in the coming hours and days. She confirmed the crash was not being treated as a terrorist incident, but would not comment further. "There's a person in custody that will have to be interviewed and from that stage onwards we'll have to review the evidence and make a decision about what actually happened," she said.
The chairman of the board of governors at the school, John Tucker, said the community was “profoundly affected” by the tragedy. He declined to comment further as he stood at the press conference beside the school’s headmistress Helen Lowe, who held hands with head mistress-elect, Sharon Maher.
It is understood the Land Rover was being driven by a woman who suffered a medical incident, reported the Evening Standard. Police said the driver of the vehicle stopped at the scene.
Witness Zac Powell said he saw “distraught” parents collecting their children outside the school when he arrived at the scene 20 minutes after the crash. “I saw a lot of distraught parents rushing from the scene on my arrival. Since then I have seen a lot of parents coming and picking up their children with expressions of relief or despair. There was quite a lot of damage I could see. Even from a distance.”
A man, who did not want to be named, said his daughter left the school two years ago and that it is “a really nice, small friendly place”. He said: “It’s unbelievable. It’s terribly sad. I just feel very emotional. It’s a good school. It’s not really an academic boiler house, it’s a really nice, balanced school.”
The Study Prep is a local all-girls primary school, with pupils at Wilberforce House ranging in age from four to eight. Mr Hammond said that where the school is located “generally will be regarded as an area where you wouldn’t see very much speeding”.
Downing Street said Rishi Sunak’s “deepest condolences” were with the family of the girl who died, and his thoughts are with all those injured and involved in the “horrific” crash.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said he thanked the emergency services for their swift response, adding: “This will have been a terrifying experience for all of the children, staff and parents.”