06 July 2023 , 09:51
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A girl has died and a woman in her 40s has been arrested after a car ploughed into a school in south London.
The driver of a Land Rover has been detained by police on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after the 4x4 collided with The Study Preparatory School buildings in Camp Road, Wimbledon, today.
A major incident was declared with at least nine people being injured.
A witness told the Mirror children were having an end of term tea party on the grass when the car ploughed through at just before 10am.
MP Stephen Hammond said several of the casualties are 'critical'.
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A female driver is believed to have suffered a "medical incident" before crashing, according to reports.
The Met confirmed the driver of the vehicle stopped at the scene. There have been no arrests.
A police cordon remains in place at the end of what is a narrow leafy lane in an affluent area.
Scenes in Wimbledon, south London, where a car has collided with a primary school building (PA)An ambulance is stationed down the road with its blue lights on treating victims.
Emergency services, including the London Air Ambulance, paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and firefighters are all on scene.
The Met said it is a 'serious' incident and said it is not being treated as terror-related.
A witness said they saw 20-30 schoolgirls being evacuated out of the school to safety, while a teacher was seen carrying trophies out with them.
The Land Rover is believed to have crashed through the fence onto school grounds (BBC)They added that paramedics are continuing to go in and out of the school.
And that a family was seen coming out, while people have been warned to say away for traffic purposes.
Members of the public are being escorted out in police cars.
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Local residents feared a terror attack after police swarmed the area.
A Land Rover is seen after crashing into the school building (Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)One neighbour - who did not want to be named - told our reporter at the scene: “I was sat at my PC and then all the police cars arrived.
“I didn’t leave the house because you don’t know what might have happened - someone who’s on a rampage is high on adrenaline and could hurdle the garden fence.
“I had a call from the golf club saying not to come down and telling everyone to go home.
“But it seems more like a tragic accident now.”
(Getty Images)The Sky News team on the scene said they saw a child being brought away from the scene with a cut to her leg. She was not seriously hurt but was described as being "absolutely shell-shocked".
The car is believed to have crashed through a fence onto the school grounds.
A police spokesperson said: "Officers remain at the scene of a serious collision at a primary school in Wimbledon. Police were called at 09:54hrs on Thursday, 6 July to reports that a car collided with a building at the school in Camp Road.
"Officers attended, along with paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance. At this time nine people are reported injured, these include two adults and seven children. We await further updates on their conditions.
Seven children and two adults have been reported injured"The driver of the vehicle stopped at the scene. There have been no arrests. We will share further updates when we can. We are not treating this incident as terror related.
"An investigation is under way to understand the full circumstances of what has taken place."
Stephen Hammond MP said: "Very concerned to hear about the Study Preparatory School at Camp Road this morning.
"A major incident has been declared and I know all emergency services are on site. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone at The Study."
Police at the scene on Camp Road (PA)He also said the road is "quite tight" meaning people "have to stop and let each other past."
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The incident this morning at a primary school on Camp Road in Wimbledon is absolutely devastating. My heart goes out to everyone affected.
“Police are on the scene and have confirmed the incident is not being treated as terror-related. An investigation is underway to understand the full circumstances and I continue to stay in close contact with the Met and other emergency services.
“Please avoid the area to allow emergency services free access to help all those who need it. If you have any information about the incident please call police on 101.”
The area has been cordoned off (Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper tweeted: “Thinking of all the families, pupils and staff affected by the terrible incident at a primary school in Wimbledon this morning.
“Thank you to the emergency services on site for their swift response.”
Wimbledon and Putney Commons tweeted: "Following an incident at the edge of the Common on Camp Road, the public are asked to avoid that area of the Commons to allow free access to the emergency services. Thank you."
Firefighters passing under the police cordon at the scene (Eliza Brandreth)The Study Preparatory caters for girls from ages four to 11 and first opened in 1893. It costs £16,000 a year per student.
The Duchess of Gloucester previously opened the school's new Wilberforce House, coinciding with the centenary.
The school did not wish to comment about the crash when contacted by the Mirror.
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