TRAGEDY ..ON THE LAST DAY OF TERM

Girl, 8, dies in school car crash horror

- DAN WARBURTON

WITNESSES yesterday told of the carnage after a Land Rover crash at a school that killed a girl of eight and left 16 others injured.

The powerful three-litre 4x4 vehicle ploughed through a fence and into the grounds where children as young as four were enjoying a tea party on the last day of term.

Heart-wrenching images showed debris strewn across the grass at the girls school and the car against a wall where it had come to a halt.

Tearful kids were later seen being led away holding hands with their parents who had rushed back to the school.

Locals feared a terror attack as police, paramedics, an air ambulance and fire engines swarmed to the scene of the devastation.

But detectives quickly ruled that out and said a woman in her 40s had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after the crash at the Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon, South West London.

Ten of those injured were taken to hospital.

One resident said: "It's terrible, the children were sitting on the grass with their teachers for the end of the school year having a tea party. We think a local resident was coming down from the Royal Wimbledon golf club and crashed through the fence."