Storm Doris leaves girl, 9, hospitalised with life threatening injuries after school hall roof collapses
Police officers were called to the incident in Milton Keynes at just after 3.30pm on Thursday
A SCHOOLGIRL was taken to hospital with "life-threatening injuries" after a ceiling collapsed on a class of children in a sports hall as Storm Doris battered Britain.
About 40 people were in the gymnasium at Southwood School in Milton Keynes, Bucks., when the 8ft by 5ft section came crashing on top of them, police said.
Emergency services arrived at the school just after 3.30pm where two nine-year-old girls were injured, including one who was treated at the scene, as severe gales hit the area.
Thames Valley Police say they are investigating whether Thursday's adverse weather conditions caused the incident.
Headteacher Elaine Hawkins told the Sun Online this morning the girl remained in hospital being treated.
She said: "Our thoughts are with the injured child and her family.
"The school is open as usual today, we want to welcome the children back in.
"We've got to make sure that we reassure the children so they feel safe."
She said the rest of the school had been checked by health and safety inspectors, and the hall remains cordoned off while investigations take place.
A source said the girl had been injured by a falling ceiling tile.
One person who did not want to named said: "I have had a message stating that something has fallen onto the child.
"We know that someone has a bad head injury.
"I have also been told that it was a tile from the hall ceiling and that the child has been taken to hospital in an ambulance."
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A statement issued by the school on Thursday said: "Unfortunately there has been an incident at Southwood School today where a part of the internal ceiling of the hall has fallen.
"We have been checked by Health and Safety officers who have confirmed that the building is safe, but obviously the hall will be out of use for some time."
Local Policing Commander for Milton Keynes, Acting Supt Vince Grey said last night: “Our priority is the two children who have been injured by the collapse of the ceiling.
"South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) was called to the scene and treated one child who had minor injuries.
"Thankfully, the child did not require treatment at hospital.
"Another child was assessed and treated at the scene by SCAS for life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital.
"Our thoughts are with the child and their family at this extremely difficult time.
“The area was evacuated following the partial collapse of the ceiling. At the time of the collapse, there were about forty people in the sports hall.
“It is possible that the collapse of the ceiling was caused by the adverse weather conditions that the country has been experiencing overnight and into today.
"However, we will be conducting a joint-investigation with Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service to determine the cause. Representatives from Milton Keynes Council also attended the scene.
“There is a cordon in place within the school but no other buildings have been affected and there are no road closures in place at this time.”
A spokesperson for the school said: “We are co-operating fully with the relevant authorities in this investigation.
“Our thoughts are of course with this child and her family at this very difficult time.”
Storm Doris's gale-force winds battered all of the Home Counties on Thursday.
Emergency services were called to hundreds of incidents including a flying trampoline and people trapped in cars after trees crashed down into their vehicles.
In Milton Keynes, where the roof later collapsed, fire crews were called after two cars were trapped in a road when two large trees suddenly fell in front of and behind them just after the morning rush-hour.
Meanwhile a flying trampoline also blew dangerously close to a main while several power lines and roofs were damaged by Doris in the area.
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