Heartbroken parents were pictured in tears after a little girl was killed when a car crashed into a primary school.
Pupils at The Study Prep School in Wimbledon were believed to be "having a tea party" to celebrate the summer holidays starting when the Land Rover crashed into the building.
Police have confirmed that an eight-year-old girl has died and another 16 patients, including children and adults, were treated for injuries at the scene, reports the Daily Mirror.
Afterwards 10 of them were taken to hospital after the incident, the London Ambulance Service said.
The youngest of the children is believed to have been just four years old, and several are understood to be in critical condition at hospital.
In an emotional statement on Thursday evening, The Study Preparatory School said it is still "too soon" to fully understand what happened when the collision took place.
A statement on the school's website said: “We are profoundly shocked by the tragic accident this morning at Wilberforce House and devastated that it has claimed the life of one of our young pupils as well as injuring several others.
“Our thoughts are with the bereaved family and with the families of those injured at this terrible time.
“It is still far too soon to fully understand what happened, but we are well aware of the significant impact this dreadful event will have on our pupils and their families. Their welfare remains our top priority and we will be doing everything we can to support them, especially those who suffered injuries.
“Now that a police investigation is underway we will not be making any further public statement for the time being and would ask that the privacy of our school community is respected at this deeply upsetting time."
Images showed people comforting each other outside the school gates as parents gathered.
Some of them were said to have crossed the police cordon to give their child's details to officers.
A witness had described seeing up to 30 young girls being evacuated from the school.
Another witness outside the Wimbledon school said parents had collected their children, and described some of them as "distraught".
Zac Powell, who did not give his age or address, told reporters: "I arrived at around quarter past 10, within 15 minutes of the incident happening.
"I saw a lot of distraught parents rushing from the scene on my arrival.
"Since then I have seen a lot of parents coming and picking up their children with expressions of relief or despair.
"There was quite a lot of damage I could see. Even from a distance.
"Within 15 minutes of my arrival, there were armed police response units here at the scene."
Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland from the Metropolitan Police was seen on the verge of tears earlier as she confirmed that an eight-year-old girl had died in today's crash.
Standing near to the scene of the crash with other emergency services staff members of the school community, the policing commander for southwest London said: "I am here to give you an update following today's tragic incident here in Wimbledon.
"We were called shortly before 10 o'clock this morning after a car collided with a building at The Study Preparatory School, behind me in Camp Road.
"A large number of our officers were deployed to the scene, along with paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance.
"Our officers, along with our colleagues from the other emergency services, provided first aid to a number of people who had been injured.
"Very sadly, one of the children, an eight-year-old girl, died at the scene.
"Our thoughts are with her family at this incredibly difficult time.
"The driver of the car, a woman aged in her 40s, stopped at the scene.
"She was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has been taken into custody."
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