PIERCING screams were heard as a car smashed into a school during an end-of-term tea party yesterday, killing a girl, 8, and reportedly injuring a baby.
Tragedy struck when a Land Rover collided with one of the school buildings at The Study prep school in Wimbledon, South London, yesterday morning.
One man, who drove past the scene just seconds later, told The Times: "The girls were screaming – it was harrowing.
"Everyone was rushing, saying a car had just driven into the grounds.
"There was one little baby that was in the ambulance who was crying uncontrollably."
Cops confirmed yesterday that an eight-year-old girl had died while 16 people were injured, with 12 rushed to hospital, though it is not clear whether a baby was among them.
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Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland choked back tears yesterday as she revealed the news of the child's death.
She said: "Our officers, along with our colleagues from the other emergency services, provided first aid to a number of people who had been injured.
"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."
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Girl, 8, killed & 16 hurt after Land Rover ploughs into primary school
The driver of the £70,000 4×4, a woman in her 40s, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
She stopped at the scene before her arrest and one line of inquiry is that she may have suffered a "medical episode" behind the wheel.
It is thought that the fence would likely have prevented teachers and students from seeing the car approaching.
Medics and rangers from Wimbledon Common rushed to help the school after the horror accident.
An unnamed dad slammed the 20mph road by the school as an "accident waiting to happen".
He said it was "too busy" and that "nobody knows" who has the right of way as the road tightens into a bottleneck.
The crash is not being treated as terror-related.
The Home Secretary Suella Braverman offered her condolences to the families, while Education Secretary Gillian Keegan described the news as "devastating".
This morning, mourners laid floral tributes outside the school in memory of the little girl who died and those who were injured.
The children were taking part in a tea party outside when the vehicle careered across the grass, crushing tables and chairs before hitting the building.
Glass shards and wall rubble were left strewn across the playground.
One local said: "It’s terrible, the children were sat on the grass with their teachers for the end of the school year having a tea party."
Fellow resident Julie Atwood added: "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."
The nearby golf course was closed and used as a base by emergency services yesterday.
One golfer told The Sun: "It was their last day of school. A couple of parents were there too.
"They are traumatized. I think there was a gym teacher there who actually saw it."
The school issued a statement yesterday evening, saying staff are "profoundly shocked" by the awful news, which had a "significant impact" on pupils and families.
A spokesperson added: "Our thoughts are with the bereaved family and with the families of those injured at this terrible time."
It comes as the borough is currently hosting to the world-famous tennis championship that bears its name.
A Wimbledon spokesperson said: “On behalf of everyone at Wimbledon, we wish to convey our heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the tragic events at Wimbledon Study Preparatory School.
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“Our thoughts are with them, their families, the school and the wider community at this deeply distressing time.”
The £16,000-a-year school caters for girls up to age 11, where headteacher Helen Lowe was on her last day.
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