An 11-year-old pupil at Smestow Academy in Wolverhampton was left deeply shaken after discovering a man’s body on the school’s playing field before her physical education lesson on Monday morning.
Around 10 a.m., the young girl noticed the body near the goal posts in heavy fog as she made her way to PE class—a sight that prompted her to scream in distress while on the phone to her parents.
It is reported that her Year Seven class was the first scheduled to use the field this week, with no other students present prior to the lesson.
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Her father expressed the family’s shock, stating, “My daughter called her mom, screaming, telling her she found a dead body by the goal posts. She’s only 11 and very shaken by what she saw. We decided to take her out of school early because of the distress.”
Other parents expressed concern and sympathy on social media, with one noting that the school has arranged counselling for students affected by the tragic discovery.
In an official statement, Smestow Academy confirmed the incident and the resulting temporary school closure. The school said, “Police instructed us to close today due to an incident unrelated to Smestow Academy. A body was found at the edge of our grounds; authorities are working to identify the man and determine the circumstances of his death. The police have now cleared the school to reopen tomorrow. We will hold assemblies to support students and offer specialist help through Heads of House for any pupils feeling affected.”
Authorities continue their investigation as the local community processes the shocking event.