A woman in her 40s is being questioned by authorities after a car crashed into a school in Wimbledon, Southwest London.
Twelve people were taken to hospital and one eight-year-old girl was killed in the incident which took place yesterday (6 July) at The Study Preparatory School.
Stephen Hammond, MP for Wimbledon, said pupils had been gathered in the garden of the school for an end of year celebration when the Land Rover approached.
He described the crash as 'extremely distressing and extremely concerning'.
Advert
A total of 16 people were treated when ambulances arrived at the scene, and although a dozen people went to hospital, none of the other children involved in the crash were critically injured.
St George's Hospital in Tooting confirmed it had received a number of patients, saying they were 'being cared for by our specialist clinical teams'.
Police removed the car from the crash site as part of its investigation, and said it is not treating the incident as being terror-related.
Police also arrested a woman and took her into custody on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Advert
She continues to be questioned today, with BBC News reporting that one line of inquiry being considered is whether the driver suffered a medical incident.
Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland encouraged people not to speculate on the details of the crash while investigators 'work to understand the full circumstances of what has happened during this tragic incident'.
In a statement, she commented: “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.”
Advert
Locals have paid their respects to the young girl who lost her life by lying flowers outside the school, which is based on Camp Road near Wimbledon Common and welcomes girls aged four to 11.
The school has issued a statement on the tragedy on its website, reading: "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."
John Tucker, chair of the board of governors, has said the school community is 'profoundly affected by this tragedy'.
Emily Brown