Teachers stabbed in Wales school speak of ordeal
Teachers Fiona Elias and Liz Hopkin, who were injured in a stabbing at their school in Ammanford, south-west Wales, earlier this week have issued statements saying how difficult it is to “comprehend” what happened.
A 13-year-old girl has been charged with three counts of attempted murder following the incident, which took place on Wednesday morning.
The teachers were allegedly attacked along with a pupil who was also injured. All three were taken to hospital for treatment to knife injuries, but were discharged the following day, Dyfed-Powys Police said.
Ms Elias, an assistant headteacher at the school, said: “From the bottom of my heart, my family and I would like to say a huge thank you for all the messages we have received from far and wide over the past few days.
“I am deeply indebted to the police, ambulance service, and the NHS staff in Morriston for their excellent care and quick response. Many thanks also to the air ambulance for their excellent care of my colleague, Liz. This is another example of how vital this service is to us in Wales.
“Three of us were taken to hospital with injuries, but this incident has had an enormous impact on my colleagues and the wonderful pupils we have at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.”
Speaking about the school community, Ms Elias added: “One of our school’s core values is ‘resilience’, and there is no doubt that pupils have demonstrated this value in coping with a situation they should never have experienced.
“The last few days have shown that there is no other community quite like the Ysgol Dyffryn Aman community, and we will be working to support each other in the coming days and weeks.
“Many thanks to the parents of the school for their co-operation and understanding at such a difficult time and of course to the wider community and external agencies who have been so willing to support the staff and pupils.
“I understand that there has been great interest in this incident, but for the benefit of my family, colleagues, and pupils, I now ask for privacy.”
Amman Valley School – also known as Ysgol Dyffryn Aman – in Carmarthenshire went into lockdown just after 11.20am on Wednesday after the stabbing at the end of morning break.
Police have revealed that a 13-year-old girl has now been charged and a 15-year-old boy remains in custody. The boy was arrested after police received reports about messages on social media referring to the stabbing.
Ms Hopkin, who is an additional learning needs co-ordinator, added: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the support shown to me and my family since the incident on Wednesday.
“I am deeply indebted to all the emergency services for their quick response and for the care provided to me and others who were admitted to hospital. Ysgol Dyffryn Aman is a big part of my life, and it is hard to comprehend that this has happened.
“However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our school community for all the support and kind messages that I have received.
“I have been overwhelmed by the kindness from the close community that we have here.
“I believe what we need now is time to reflect on what has happened and therefore ask for privacy for the school, myself and my family, so we can take this time to reflect and recover.”
