Resident says incidents like Wimbledon school crash are ‘unheard of’

A Wimbledon resident has spoken out after a Land Rover crashed into a local school’s building this morning (July 6).

Emergency services responded to the incident at around 9.54am and the Metropolitan Police have confirmed the driver stopped at the scene of the crash at The Study Preparatory School in Camp Road, in Wimbledon, southwest London.

Seven children and two adults have been injured and the incident is not being treated as terror related.

The school, which costs £5,565 per term, is for girls aged four to 11 and sits on Wimbledon Common, just a mile away from the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club as it hosts the world-famous tennis tournament.

Wimbledon resident describes incident as ‘terrible’

Wimbledon resident Julie Atwood told the PA News Agency: “My daughter used to go to this school. It’s a girls’ school.

“Wimbledon is like a little village. For this to happen in Wimbledon is unheard of. It’s terrible.”

One witness outside the school in Wimbledon said parents had collected their children, with some described as “distraught”.

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.

“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.”

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Met Police confirm girl has died following the car crash and a woman has been arrested 

Metropolitan Police confirmed earlier today that 9 people were injured during the incident and they have now confirmed that a girl has died.

A woman in her 40s has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police said: “We can now confirm that sadly a child has died following an incident where a car collided with a building at a school in Wimbledon.

“We can also confirm that the driver of the vehicle, a woman aged in her 40s, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving

“There have been further injuries and we await an update from the London Ambulance Service.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland, local police commander for south-west London, said: “This is tragic news and our thoughts are with the girl’s family and friends, and everyone affected today.

“We remain at the scene and are continuing our investigation into the full circumstances of the incident.”

UPDATE: Girl dies following collision in Wimbledon

We can now confirm that sadly a child has died following an incident where a car collided with a building at a school in Wimbledon.https://t.co/cAsGm7yl01

— Merton Police (@MPSMerton) July 6, 2023

Members of the public were asked to avoid the area to allow emergency services “free access”.

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.

“Emergency vehicles are likely to be using the Commons to get to the location so please be alert to what is happening and follow instructions from our staff. Thank you.”