A young girl was trapped inside her primary school for hours after falling asleep and being missed by staff, prompting her to call 999 for help. The Year 6 pupil, believed to be around 11 years old, was freed by firefighters through a toilet window at around 9pm on Tuesday.
The incident occurred at Briscoe Lane Academy in Newton Heath, Manchester. The girl, who had permission to walk home after school, is thought to have found a landline phone and rang the police more than five hours after lessons ended. Firefighters from Philips Park station arrived and safely extracted her through a window, placing her in the care of police. She was unharmed.
A parent of another student expressed concern, stating families have been left “shaken” and that trust has been broken. They called for a “full and independent” investigation and an overhaul of the school’s end-of-day procedures. The school, rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, is part of the Wise Owl Trust.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed responding to the distress call at around 9pm, with the child retrieved within 20 minutes. The school has reported the incident to Manchester council via its local authority designated officer, stating no Ofsted referral was necessary. A school spokesperson said the matter is being treated extremely seriously and that the welfare of pupils remains the priority.
