Girl, 8, dies and woman arrested after car crashed into primary school
Joe Harker
Featured Image Credit: PA
An eight-year-old girl has died after a Land Rover crashed into a girls’ prep school building in London, police have said.
The Metropolitan Police also said a woman in her 40s had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
A statement 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.”
The girl who died was just eight-years-old, Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland said at the scene.
Police had been called to the scene just before 10am today (6 July) after reports of a car having 'collided with a building' at a primary school.
A member of the public who arrived on the scene shortly after the incident said they 'saw a lot of distraught parents rushing from the scene on my arrival'.
They added that they could see 'quite a lot of damage' when they arrived and that police were quickly on the scene to respond.
Home secretary Suella Braverman has commented on the fatal crash, saying she was 'saddened to hear about the tragic incident at the school in Wimbledon this morning'.
She tweeted: "My thoughts are with everyone affected. I would like to thank emergency responders at the scene. It is important they are now able to carry out their investigation."
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "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."
Police have said there were further injuries in the collision and that they were awaiting an update from the London Ambulance Service.
In a statement issued on the tragic news of the girl's death officers also said that the driver stopped at the scene and they are not treating the matter as terror-related.
Emergency services have treated the crash as a very serious incident, with a previous statement from Scotland Yard saying that they knew of nine people, seven children and two adults, who had been injured in the collision.