A “SCREAMING” schoolgirl was left feeling “shaken up” after she discovered a dead body at her secondary school.
The pupil, 11, noticed the individual as she was heading over to the football field for a PE lesson at Smestow Academy in Wolverhampton at around 10am this morning.
Emergency services scrambled to the scene around 40 minutes later following the pupil’s grim discovery.
The father of the girl said: “My daughter phoned her mum up, screaming, and told her that she found a dead body by the goal posts on the field.
“She’s only 11 years of age. They went out for PE and it was very foggy this morning.
“It’s left her really shaken up and we’ve come to take her out of school early.
“It’s terrible what she’s had to see.”
A second parent revealed that a member of her family was in the same class.
“My nephew’s class were the ones that found him,” they wrote on Facebook.
“The school have offered counselling. Rest In Peace.”
The school was swiftly shut and pupils were sent home as cops probed the scene.
Police are now working to confirm the man’s identity, and the circumstances around his death.
“Police told us to close school today because of an incident unconnected with Smestow Academy,” the school said in a statement.
“A body was found at the edge of the grounds and enquiries are now underway to confirm the man’s identity and the circumstances around his death.
“Police asked us to close so they could make headway with their investigation.
“The police have now given us the go ahead to open as usual tomorrow.
“There will be pupil assemblies throughout the morning to reassure them.
“If your child has been affected, they can speak with their Head of House who will be able to provide specialist support.”
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police added: “We’re currently at Smestow Academy after a discovery of the body in the grounds.
“Emergency services were called at around 10.40am today, and the man was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
“Enquiries are now underway to confirm the man’s identity and the circumstances around his death.
“The school is closing to pupils as enquiries get underway.
It’s left her really shaken up and we’ve come to take her out of school early.
“Anyone with information has been asked to get in touch via Live Chat or 101, quoting log 1452 of 19 January.”
Anyone with information that could assist police has been asked to use the live chat facility on the West Midlands Police website.
Alternatively, call 101, quoting log 1452 of January 19.
A local mum, who did not wish to be named, said she stumbled across the scene this morning while walking at a nature reserve near the school.
She said: “I was out with my son walking down the nature reserve directly opposite.
“We were walking slowly and we noticed something happening at the school. One of the teachers radioed, they said ‘major incident, member of the public found’.
“I asked if he was all right and they said they were unsure. Another teacher came to see if he was alive. It was quite clear that he wasn’t.
“When I got there, it looked as if he’d just been found. It’s a really scenic spot, it’s not what you’d expect.”
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesperson added: “We were called to a medical emergency in a field on Windmill Crescent, Castlecroft, Wolverhampton at 10.41am today.
“Two ambulances and a paramedic officer responded to the scene where, sadly, one man was confirmed deceased.”
