'People will pull together' Ammanford community reacts to school stabbing
Tina Richards is a grandparent of one of the pupils from Ysgol Dyffryn Aman school where the stabbing took place
A woman whose granddaughter is one of the pupils of the Ysgol Dyffryn Aman school in Ammanford said they are "shaken by what had happened".
It comes after a teenage girl had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two teachers and a pupil were stabbed at a secondary school in Carmarthenshire on 24 April.
She was also concerned about the mental impact it will have on pupils.
Tina Richards said: "She actually saw what happened. So, it's the psychological impact that affects the pupils. Not only her but a number of others that saw it."
When asked if she is worried about the long term impact it will have on her grandchild and other pupils, she replied:
"Of course, because something like that, you can't just wipe away from your memory. She might need counselling, it could affect her wanting to go to school or actually going out on her own anymore."
Reverend Ali Reeves of the All Saints Church in Ammanford called it a close knit community
Reverend Ali Reeves of the All Saints Church in Ammanford said it is going to be "difficult" but the community will "pull together"
"I don't think there is anybody in Ammanford who hasn't been affected. I think almost everybody knows somebody. They either have children in the school or grandchildren or they went to the school themselves.
"People will pull together. We will be here for whatever support we can and the church is open today and tomorrow. We will be reaching out to the school. If people want to come along they can at any time.
She added: "They can come in and sit quietly or they can come in and talk to somebody. They can come in and have a cup of tea and talk. They can come and light a candle or we can have somebody pray with them if that's what they would like."
Dyfed-Powys Police said a teenage boy from the Cross Hands area remained in custody after being arrested on suspicion of making threats, which referenced the incident at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.
A teenage girl was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder at the school, also known as Amman Valley School, in Carmarthenshire after two teachers and a pupil sustained stab wounds on Wednesday morning.
The teachers, named as Fiona Elias, the head of Year 7, and reportedly special needs teacher, Liz Hopkin, have since been discharged from hospital along with the the pupil. The arrested girl remains in custody.
On Thursday afternoon, Dyfed-Powys Police said investigations into both incidents were being run separately, though officers were examining “whether there was any connection between the alleged offences”.
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