2 TEACHERS, 1 PUPIL STABBED AT SCHOOL
Police hold girl aged 15 as head pays tribute to staff
The teacher didn’t look good.. there were medics all around her MARIA DAVIES ON THE STABBING AFTERMATH
TWO teachers and a teenage pupil were stabbed in a knife attack at a school yesterday.
The teachers were knifed when they intervened in a fight between two Year 9 girls at the comprehensive.
Air ambulances landed in the grounds after the stabbings, which happened just before 11.25am.
Two of the victims received advanced critical care support before one of them, a female teacher, was airlifted to hospital. The other two were taken to hospital by ambulance.
One of the injured teachers was named by the BBC last night as Fiona Elias, who is a drama and Welsh teacher and head of the school’s year seven.
Police said all three victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries but a witness, Maria Davies, 50, said: “She didn’t look very good – there were medics all around her. Not long after, I saw the schoolgirl in handcuffs being taken into a police car.”
Worried parents rushed to Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, in Ammanford, South Wales, after youngsters were put on lockdown in classrooms. Some pupils scaled a 7ft fence to flee after a “code red” alert was issued over the public address system.
The school remained in lockdown until 3.20pm, when parents were finally reunited with pupils. The school remains closed today.
Headteacher James Durbridge described it as a “difficult day for us all. It goes without saying that my thoughts are with the three individuals and their families.”
He added: “I wish to commend all staff and pupils for their calm and mature response during the lockdown.
“We are proud to have witnessed pupils embodying the school’s core values while supporting their peers and staff.”
Dyfed Powys officers confirmed that a 15-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and that a knife was found. The teenager remained in custody last night.
A video posted online showed two girls on the ground in an outside area before one was pulled away by staff.
One boy can be heard saying: “What the f***, what the f***? That girl’s got stabbed.” A female teacher then urges students to “get to class”.
Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price, the Welsh Parliament member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, and a former pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, said: “It was shocking. None of us would have thought we would have faced this.”
Eithne Hughes, from the Association of School and College Leaders Cymru, added: “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected.”
Darren Price, leader of Carmarthenshire county council, said: “Our priority is to do all we can to support the pupils and staff.”