Girl,12, dies as school wall collapses on her

The girl, named locally and on social media as Keane Wallis-Bennett, was pronounced dead at Liberton High School in Edinburgh shortly before 10am today. Her family have been informed.

Pupils were sent home early, while police and health and safety officials launched an inquiry.

Tributes left on Facebook from friends include: “Sleep tight beautiful,” while another message reads: “No child should go to school and not return home, RIP Keane Grace Wallis-Bennett. Horrible news.”

A bunch of flowers left under the school entrance sign had a message which read: “Rest in peace Keane. God has gained another angel.”

A number of parents congregated at the school gates after news of the tragedy emerged and they began collecting their children from the premises from around 12.30pm.

Many pupils were seen leaving the school, covering their faces with scarves and jackets.

The incident comes just weeks after Edinburgh City Council was fined for an incident at the same school in which a girl was seriously injured when she fell down a broken-down lift shaft.

Andy Gray, head of schools and community services at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is obviously a very distressing time for all the pupils, the staff, the community of Liberton High School.

“We’re offering welfare support to anyone who needs it and we’re co-operating fully with Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive at this very difficult time.”

Superintendent Matt Richards said: “Inquiries now continue with partners from the Health and Safety Executive, and also alongside the council to make sure we get to the bottom of what has happened.

“It would be wrong to speculate about that at the moment. What I will say obviously is that our thoughts and prayers are with the family, and in particular with the school children today and hopefully they can get back to school as soon as possible.”

One local councillor described today’s incident as “tragic and troubling” and said serious questions need to be asked about why it happened.

Shailesh Shrestha was at the school to collect his son, who is in S2.

He said: “I was in a meeting when I heard what had happened and have come in to collect my son. We haven’t been told any more about it.

“It is concerning that this has happened. You just don’t expect this kind of thing to happen inside a school.”