Police Guard Pupils On School Run After Attacks With Rocks By Traveller Tearaways

Police Guard Pupils On School Run After Attacks With Rocks By Traveller Tearaways
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Pupils and parents were given a police guard after being attacked by gypsies with rocks and sticks outside their village school.

Travellers as young as seven were accused of hurling abuse and lashing out with sticks outside St Peter's Anglican Methodist Primary in Pilning, Gloucestershire.

Trouble hit the school run after travellers set up an illegal caravan site just yards from the gates.

One mother of a six-year-old girl said: "I got a text from the school to say there would be a police presence in the morning and at 3.30pm.

"I had turned my car near the caravans and all the kids came round it and said, 'Get off our ****ing ≠property'."

A mum with a six-year-old son at the school said: "The language has been terrible. You just don't know what might happen."

Dave MacLeod, landlord of The Plough, in Pilning, said: "Sticks and stones have been thrown at cars. My barmaid was whacked on the legs. The whole village has been living in fear. It's kids aged seven to 12 causing problems and their parents let them.

"One traveller told me he would smash my teeth out when I refused to let him in for a drink."

Some pupils were reportedly kept at home because they were so scared. Council officials joined police to escort those nervous pupils who did attend.

Last night, police spokesman Sergeant Adrian Fallows, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "There have been allegations of threats being made, name-calling and isolated stone-throwing incidents at the school which we are looking into.

"As a result there are officers in the community offering reassurance to parents and residents."

A spokesman for the school added: "The illegal encampment was on private land. The landowner has been contacted and we can confirm that all the travellers have now left."