This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-26627921
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Orwell High School reunion 'out of control' | Orwell High School reunion 'out of control' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police and the fire service had to be called to a school reunion, which one former pupil said got "out of control". | Police and the fire service had to be called to a school reunion, which one former pupil said got "out of control". |
| Current and former students were invited to the event at Orwell High School, Felixstowe, which is being demolished and replaced by an academy. | |
| Graffiti was written on walls and the fire alarm was set off, possibly by people smoking in the toilets. | |
| Although Orwell's old buildings are being knocked down, some are still being used while new ones are built. | |
| The school is merging with Deben High to form Felixstowe Academy. | |
| Bosses at the new academy said a "small minority" of people ruined the reunion night. | |
| Jaimielee Rendall, who left Orwell High School in 2005 and now works for BBC Radio Suffolk, said most people were well behaved but some had been drinking since mid-afternoon. | |
| "I've heard various stories that people were walking around drunk and didn't know what they were doing," she said. | "I've heard various stories that people were walking around drunk and didn't know what they were doing," she said. |
| "A few of the walls had graffiti on them, which is a shame because children now have to go to school this morning with their school emblazoned with graffiti. | "A few of the walls had graffiti on them, which is a shame because children now have to go to school this morning with their school emblazoned with graffiti. |
| "It's sad it got out of control." | "It's sad it got out of control." |
| Felixstowe Academy said "hundreds of people" had attended the event to look at archive material and meet with former teachers and school friends. | |
| "Unfortunately the evening had to be brought to a close earlier than planned due to health and safety concerns," the academy said in a statement. | |
| "Sadly a very small minority of adult visitors took it upon themselves to smoke within the building and write graffiti on the walls, causing vandalism to an operating school." | |
| 'Criminal damage' | |
| One caller to BBC Radio Suffolk, who said he attended the school in 1957, claimed there were not enough staff to cope with the popularity of the event. | |
| "There were so many people ignoring the fire alarm that it was hard for the staff to do anything," he said. | "There were so many people ignoring the fire alarm that it was hard for the staff to do anything," he said. |
| Suffolk Police said it was called to the school at about 19:00 GMT, initially to deal with reports of parking issues. | Suffolk Police said it was called to the school at about 19:00 GMT, initially to deal with reports of parking issues. |
| Officers arrived after the fire alarm was set off and found incidents of vandalism. | Officers arrived after the fire alarm was set off and found incidents of vandalism. |
| A spokesman said the force was looking to speak with a named suspect in relation to causing criminal damage. | A spokesman said the force was looking to speak with a named suspect in relation to causing criminal damage. |
| A similar "legacy" event planned for Deben High School has been cancelled. | A similar "legacy" event planned for Deben High School has been cancelled. |