'It could have proved fatal' (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

'It could have proved fatal'

AN investigation is underway after two teenage pupils from St Joseph's School suffered serious injuries following a missile attack on their school bus.

Police say injuries to a 14-year-old girl, who was knocked unconscious by a rock thrown through the bus window, could have been life-threatening while a 14-year-old boy is lucky not to have lost his sight after fragments of shattered glass flew into his eye.

The yellow Thamesdown double decker bus, which has been kitted out with the latest CCTV equipment, was ambushed at around 3.10pm on Tuesday along Beech Avenue, Pinehurst.

At first it was thought the girl might have suffered a fractured skull, but after treatment at the Great Western Hospital it was confirmed she only sustained mild concussion, shock and a slight hearing impairment. Police have no details of those responsible and have urged anyone witnesses to come forward.

St Joseph's headteacher Peter Wells said: "The school has been in contact with the injured pupils and staff visited the pupil struck on the head on Thursday.

"She has not made a full recovery she has substantial bruising to the side of her face, was only able to speak out of one side of her mouth and although in good spirits she was still feeling dizzy and very much not her normal self.

"Police said this was a potentially life threatening incident, the school is very concerned and is co-operating in every way to identify the culprits.

"Suggestions this may be connected with Headlands School cannot be confirmed as neither the police nor the school have been able to identify the youths involved."

Staff from nearby Pinehurst Infants School were on the scene within minutes to give assistance.

Although there is no evidence that Headlands pupils were involved in the attack there is a history of rivalry between the schools.

Headlands headteacher Nicky Barton said: "We will continue to cooperate with the police investigation to help them discover who is responsible for these terrible actions."

WPC Sally Fellowes, who is leading the Swindon police investigation into Tuesday's attack, said: "This was a potentially very serious incident and any of the pupils could easily have been badly injured. As far as we can ascertain at this time it was an unprovoked attack and we need as much information as we can obtain to trace those responsible."

Last year around 50 Headlands pupils stormed a bus carrying St Joseph's School children home in Cricklade Road.

Eyewitnesses said the incident, which started when eggs were thrown at the bus before an object believed to be a brick was thrown through a window, was like a "warzone".

gsheldrick@newswilts.co.uk