SHOCKED pupils at a Burnley school watched in horror as a car ploughed into a classroom during a history lesson.

Six girls from St Hilda's RC High were taken to hospital with minor injuries after the incident at 11.50am yesterday .

Paramedics said two of the pupils complained of leg injuries, while the others suffered cuts, bruises and shock.

The Toyota Corolla automatic was accidentally driven into the classroom by Roberta Murray, 61, of Sycamore Avenue, Rishton. She was taken to hospital suffering from shock.

Headteacher Bernadette Bleasdale said the vehicle narrowly missed the pupils and the visitor had just addressed the school's RSPCA group.

She said: "When the visitor arrived at the school the car park was full. She was reversing her car out of the school drive when she hit the accelerator instead of the brakes.

"She hit a concrete bollard which collapsed and then went into the side of the building and pushed a panel in on the classroom. "The panel buckled, glass broke in the classroom window and a radiator on the other side of the wall was damaged and started leaking."

Police said four of the pupils taken to hospital included Francesca Armstrong, Francesca Bell, Pamelia Marcola and Adele Pickford.

The classroom contained about twenty 12 and 13-year-old pupils and their teacher in a history lesson, but Miss Bleasdale stressed that the car did not hit with any of the pupils.

Paramedics said many of the girls were in tears and were suffering from shock, while some received minor injuries.

Six girls were taken to Burnley General Hospital, but were not were detained.

Police were also called and Burnley firefighters were on standby.

Miss Bleasdale said engineers had been called in to assess the damage.

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