06 July 2023 , 17:10
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Heartbreaking new images have emerged showing parents in tears after a little girl was killed in a horror car crash at a school.
Pupils at The Study Prep School in Wimbledon were reportedly "having a tea party" to celebrate the last day of term this morning when the gold and black Land Rover smashed onto the grounds.
Police later confirmed that an eight-year-old girl had died at the scene. A total of 16 patients including children and adults were treated at the scene, and 10 were taken to hospital after the incident, the London Ambulance Service said.
The youngest among the injured is believed to have been just four years old. Several children are also understood to be in critical condition.
In an emotional statement on Thursday evening, The Study Preparatory School said it is still "too soon" to fully understand what happened when the collision took place.
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Pupils were reportedly 'having a tea party' to celebrate the last day of term when they were hit by a Land Rover (Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)A statement on the shcool's website said: “We are profoundly shocked by the tragic accident this morning at Wilberforce House and devastated that it has claimed the life of one of our young pupils as well as injuring several others.
“Our thoughts are with the bereaved family and with the families of those injured at this terrible time.
“It is still far too soon to fully understand what happened, but we are well aware of the significant impact this dreadful event will have on our pupils and their families. Their welfare remains our top priority and we will be doing everything we can to support them, especially those who suffered injuries.
“Now that a police investigation is underway we will not be making any further public statement for the time being and would ask that the privacy of our school community is respected at this deeply upsetting time."
Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland spoke to the media after the tragedy (PA)Images released later showed people comforting each other outside the school gates as parents came to terms with the tragedy. Some parents reportedly crossed a police cordon to give their child's details to officers.
A witness earlier described seeing as many as 30 girls being evacuated from the school while a teacher carried out trophies.
Another witness outside the Wimbledon school said parents had collected their children, with some described as "distraught".
Emotional scenes outside The Study Prep School in Wimbledon after an eight-year-old girl died (Getty Images)Zac Powell, who did not give his age or address, told reporters: "I arrived at around quarter past 10, within 15 minutes of the incident happening.
"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.
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"There was quite a lot of damage I could see. Even from a distance.
"Within 15 minutes of my arrival, there were armed police response units here at the scene."
A Landrover Defender crashed into the school building (Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland from the Metropolitan Police was seen on the verge of tears earlier as she confirmed that an eight-year-old girl had died in today's crash.
Standing near to the scene of the crash with other emergency services staff members of the school community, the policing commander for southwest London said: "I am here to give you an update following today's tragic incident here in Wimbledon.
Police continue to investigate the tragedy (Getty Images) "We were called shortly before 10 o'clock this morning after a car collided with a building at The Study Preparatory School, behind me in Camp Road.
"A large number of our officers were deployed to the scene, along with paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance.
"Our officers, along with our colleagues from the other emergency services, provided first aid to a number of people who had been injured.
Officers, firefighters and paramedics, including London’s Air Ambulance, responded to the incident (PA)"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.
"The driver of the car, a woman aged in her 40s, stopped at the scene.
"She was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has been taken into custody."