School safety calls after toddler killed

An investigation into Huw Emyr Roberts' death is under way

The family of a two-year-old boy have criticised safety in the school grounds where he was killed.

Counsellors are still at Ysgol Cymerau in Pwllheli, to help staff and pupils after the accident at 0850 GMT on Wednesday when a Ford Fiesta being driven by a supply teacher reversed into the child sitting in a buggy.

On Thursday, there have been calls for urgent safety improvements at the Gwynedd school which has 338 pupils.

A memorial service was held for Huw Emyr Roberts, who died after he was taken from the scene by ambulance before being airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

The accident happened as parents were bringing children and staff were arriving for the start of the school day.

One neighbour of the toddler's parents, who did not want to be named, said: "He was a beautiful little boy who was always smiling.

"His family are well known in the area and they are lovely people. It's horrific what has happened to them. The streets have been deserted today and this has affected everyone.""

It has since emerged that the issue of safety at the school's entrance has been raised as a matter of concern in the past.

Floral tributes have been left at the scene of the tragedy

BBC Wales has learned that the safety of the arrangement for getting cars and people in and out of the school has been raised before.

Parents bring children to and from school have to walk through the car parking area to reach the entrance.

Huw Emyr Roberts' grandfather said no words could express how he and his family felt.

Reverend William Davies, from Pwllheli Presbyterian Church, who knows the family, said: "They are devastated. It's very sad. Everybody in Pwllheli is very sad after this.

He also called the volume of traffic using the school car park "a very dangerous situation."

"It is chaotic in the morning at about 9 o'clock in the morning and when they go home at 3.15."

And the Mayor of Pwllheli, Glyn Roberts, said he was not happy knowing parents and children were walking near cars on their way into school.

"It shocks me that the public footpath I understand goes right through the parking area at the school.

"It seems very strange that this could happen. It could happen again if this state of affairs is allowed to continue."

This is a very close-knit community where everybody knows each other and a tragedy like this affects everybody Reverend William Davies

But Alun Williams, deputy chair of the school's governors, said the safety issue was not necessarily any worse than at any other school.

"We certainly have been aware of issues when parents have been coming into that area," he said.

"But I am sure any school in any urban area has a congestion of school buses, of children, of parents taking their cars as near as possible to the gates of the school."

The police, Health and Safety Executive and Gwynedd Council are all trying to piece together what actually happened in the accident.

The toddler's funeral is due to take place on Monday.