Headteachers' prayers for boy who fell from Portsmouth car park roof

SImon Graham, the headteacher of St Edmund's Catholic School in Portsmouth, was speaking after the boy was found by the Crasswell Street car park in the city centre just after 8am yesterday.

Police say they believe he fell from the roof of the multistorey car park, and the ambulance service said he had suffered life-threatening injuries. Last night he was said to be ‘critical but stable’.

Mr Graham said: ‘The school has been made aware of an accident involving a student from St Edmund's which took place this morning.

‘We understand that there was a quick response from emergency services following the accident and they were taken to hospital.

‘The student is in a critical but stable condition. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and our community at this difficult time.’

The boy, who South Central Ambulance Service said was 12 to 13 years old, was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital. The air ambulance landed on the nearby Market Way car park yesterday morning.

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service said: ‘We received a 999 call reporting that a teenage male had fallen from the car park on Crasswell Street.

‘We sent an ambulance, a paramedic team leader in a rapid response vehicle and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance to the scene.

‘The patient was a boy aged 12 to 13 and he had sustained life-threatening injuries as a result of the fall. After treatment at the scene he was then flown to University Hospital Southampton’s major trauma unit.’

The Crasswell Street car park was closed while police investigated.

A spokeswoman for Hampshire Constabulary added: ‘We were called at 8.10am this morning (12 June) to a report that a boy had fallen from the roof of the car park. He has been airlifted to Southampton General Hospital.’

A woman at the scene said her sister, a nurse, had discovered the boy whilst walking to work.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: ‘She saw something was wrong and went to help - she’s a real good Samaritan.

‘She said he’s in a critical condition and has been taken by air ambulance to hospital.’

A resident who lives in nearby Buckingham Street said: ‘It’s so sad.

‘It’s about the fourth time something like has happened in two years.’

A passer-by, who asked not to be named, said: ‘I hope he pulls through. It’s such a sad thing to happen.’