'I’m still in shock' after car ploughed into primary school

A Liverpool councillor has expressed his shock at the dramatic scenes of a car ploughing into the side of a school building in Everton on Monday morning.

Beacon CE School in Everton had to be evacuated after a car crashed into the building as pupils arrived for the day. Police, paramedics and the fire service were called to the school on Heyworth Street, Everton, at around 8.30am to reports of a major crash. A woman was subsequently arrested on suspicion of drug driving in the aftermath of the crash.

Cllr Assen Christov represents the Vauxhall ward where the school is situated and met with officials on site. He said: “It’s good that there were no injuries to the children. I feel sorry for what happened today. I was scared when I saw the damage, how could this have happened? I’d have been so shocked if my own grandchildren were there.”

Cllr Christov - who was elected to represent Labour in last year’s city council ballot - said he spoke to officials while work got underway to make the location secure. He added: “I’m still in shock from when I saw the hole in the side of the wall, it’s good that nobody was seriously injured.”

Beacon CE School is part of the Liverpool Diocesan Schools Trust, a multi-academy organisation which describes itself as welcoming “young people of all faiths and none, working together to provide an excellent education built on distinctly Christian values.” It has been part of the trust since 2017.

• Photos: Car crashes into Everton primary school

Parents said the car smashed through the building at 8.30am, just moments before the school opened for the day. No children were in the area at the time of the crash. Merseyside Police said a woman, who was driving the car, was assessed at the scene. A passenger travelling in the car suffered what was described as a minor injury.

A 39-year-old woman from Walton has since been arrested on suspicion of drug driving and careless driving and taken to a police station for questioning. Heyworth Street has been reopened.

Beacon CE Primary School, which has more than 320 pupils on the roll, was evacuated following the crash and will remain closed for the rest of the day. A structural engineer was called to the school which is being assessed for structural damage.

A spokesperson for Beacon CE School said: “We are shocked at today’s incident but relieved that no children were in the classroom at the time. We would like to thank staff for the calm and professional manner in which they have dealt with this and for pupils, parents and carers for responding well and enabling us to evacuate the area safely. We are also very grateful for the prompt response of the emergency services. We will have the building properly assessed as a priority and hope to be able to open the majority of the building tomorrow but will confirm this directly to the school community in due course.”