Parents and pupils to be quizzed over school 'nail bomb'

Sep 24 2007 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

PARENTS and pupils at a leading Merseyside school were today greeted by a police guard following a nail-bomb attack on a teacher’s car.

Three hundred pupils returned to Runnymede St Edwards School in West Derby today following the explosion last Friday afternoon.

Officers from Merseyside Police have said they will be providing reassurance and support for pupils, staff and parents at the school gates. Teaching unions have also demanded a review of security at the school.

Police were also planning to speak to parents and pupils as they arrive at the school, trying to establish if anyone may have seen anyone acting suspiciously shortly before the explosion.

Superintendent Ian Pilling said: “This was a despicable and dangerous act. Fortunately no-one was injured. We need help from members of the public to bring the offenders to justice.”

Detectives are also examining CCTV footage and at this stage say there is no known motive for the attack.

Supt Pilling said: “The area around the school would have been very busy and we are appealing to anyone who may have seen anything suspicious to contact the police immediately.

“The incident happened shortly before the children were due to leave school and this could have resulted in serious injury, or possibly fatality.

“This was a reckless attack on a school grounds and we are determined to catch those responsible.

“This is an extremely unusual offence and I would like to reassure the public that it appears to be an isolated incident. We will do our utmost to bring the offender to justice.”

Throughout today officers will also be meeting with teachers and parents to talk about the incident and the investigation.

Police were called to the school at 2.50pm last Friday after firefighters attended what was initially believed to be a car on fire.

However, when they attended they discovered there had been an explosion which caused the fire in the vehicle, a silver Nissan Micra. It was removed from the scene on Saturday wrapped in a blue tarpaulin on the back of a low-loader.

An improvised firework device had caused damage to the inside of the car and windows.

Fortunately no-one was injured in the incident.

Extensive searches have taken place at the scene and house-to-house inquiries have continued since Friday afternoon. Police are appealing to anyone who was around the area where the school is situated and may have seen someone acting suspiciously to contact them.

There were two men in the vicinity of the school at the time of the incident that police would like to speak to. One of them is described as white, of stocky build, 5ft 9in to 5ft 10in tall and aged between 40 and 50. He possibly had light coloured or ginger hair.

Runnymede is the £4,500-a-year preparatory school attached to St Edwards College, the choir school for the city’s Metropolitan Cathedral, and accepts children aged three to 11.

Headteacher Janet Thomas plans to write to parents with further details about the attack.

Teaching unions bosses today demanded a risk assessment at the school after the “frightening” event.

NUT Liverpool secretary Julie Lyon-Taylor said: “We will be reviewing our membership at the school and after this incident there need to be risk assessments.

“But the best people to do this are the professionals – the police.

“What has gone on is frightening and while teachers do experience bad behaviour and a level of violence on occasions, what has gone on here is beyond the realms of our experiences.”

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who may have information about it is asked to call detectives on 0151 777 4564, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

liammurphy