Mum's 'jaw hit the floor' after receiving call about son's school

Olivia Williams

22 April 2024 at 9:58 am·2-min read

Joanne Duxbury and son Ryan Cunningham on Heyworth Street in Everton -Credit:Liverpool ECHO

A mum shared her horror after a driver ploughed through the wall of a primary school.

Emergency services were called to Heyworth Street in Everton after a car crashed into The Beacon C.E Primary School on Monday, April 22 at around 8.30am. The driver, a woman, was assessed at the scene. The extent of her injuries are yet to be confirmed.

A passenger in the car suffered a minor injury. No children were in the classroom at the time of the crash and no other injuries were reported.

Joanne Duxbury's son, seven-year-old Ryan Cunningham, attends the primary school and said her "jaw dropped" when she saw the scene.

Speaking to the ECHO, she said: "I got a phone call off Ryan's dad. I was in work, I went in early and then at around 8.40am as I got here they said the school was going to be potentially closed as a car had crashed into the school building.

"I was gobsmacked. My jaw hit the floor because you hear sometimes about a crash and think 'oh it can't be that bad' and then you look at it and there's an actual hole and a car inside. It doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened."

Parents told the ECHO the classroom the car crashed into is used by children aged between two and three-years-old in pre-school. No children were in there at the time of the crash.

Other people described the road as "dangerous" with incidents of speeding. Residents in the area said cars also block the roads during school drop off and pick up hours for Beacon C.E Primary School and North Liverpool Academy, making it difficult to see.

Photos of the scene showed a huge hole where the Mercedes crashed into the school. Inside desks and other school apparatus could be seen damaged and on the floor.

The building will be assessed for any structural damage. The school will be closed for the rest of the day.

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.”

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