Woman at centre of air ambulance alert at South Shields school dies

Police have confirmed that a woman in her 30s has died after collapsing at Bamburgh School, in Norham Avenue, South Shields, yesterday afternoon.

She was a member of staff at the school, and passed away after being taken by air ambulance to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle.

She has not been officially named.

Bamburgh School's headteacher, Peter Nord, has paid tribute to a "highly respected member of staff".

He said: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of a dedicated and highly respected member of our staff.

"She was loved by pupils, staff, parents and carers alike.

"Our heartfelt thoughts are with her family at this devastating time.

“As a small school this has been felt throughout the entire school community and we would appreciate privacy to mourn her loss.

"This is a very emotional time and we are doing everything we can to support our pupils, staff and the wider community.”

The school was closed today as a mark of respect.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said: "Yesterday afternoon, police were informed a woman had collapsed at Bamburgh School, in Horsley Hill.

"The woman in her 30s was taken to hospital, but sadly died.

"There is believed to be no third party involvement and a report has been prepared for the coroner."

A spokesman for Great North Air Ambulance Service said: "We were called to South Shields at 3.30pm yesterday to reports of a woman who had collapsed in a school car park.

"Our Teesside aircraft was dispatched to the scene.

"We worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service before the patient was transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, via air ambulance.

"She arrived there in a critical condition."

A spokesman for North East Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 3.08pm yesterday to Bamburgh School, in South Shields.

"We sent the air ambulance, our cardiac arrest car, an ambulance and a rapid response vehicle to what was reported as a woman unconscious.

"CPR was in progress when we arrived.

"The woman was taken to hospital by the air ambulance."

Peter Nord, Head teacher at Bamburgh School said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of a dedicated and highly respected member of our staff.

"She was loved by pupils, staff, parents and carers alike. Our heartfelt thoughts are with her family at this devastating time.

“As a small school this has been felt throughout the entire school community and we would appreciate privacy to mourn her loss.

"This is a very emotional time and we are doing everything we can to support our pupils, staff and the wider community.”