SCHOOL RIOT ON NET

SHOCKING footage of a riot in a Scots school playground has been captured on video and posted on the internet

Three boys ended up in hospital on Wednesday after the pre- arranged fight at Hamilton Grammar School, Lanarkshire.

Pupils were left with concussion, cuts and bruises after they were battered with blocks of wood and bricks.

But within hours of the playground battle, violent video footage captured by a pupil on a mobile phone was posted on the internet.

Hundreds of pupils have been logging on to look at the footage and swap clips of it on their mobile phones.

Last night, a school source said: "It's bad enough that the fight took place in the first place. But video footage of the battle appearing on the internet provides the worst possible publicity for these thugs and only serves to glamourise them."

Staff at Hamilton Grammar were forced to call the police after the playground riot last Wednesday.

A round 40 youngsters, between the ages of 12 and 15, wielded sticks and homemade weapons as they battled during break time.

Teachers had to wade in as the violence spiralled out of control, leaving several pupils injured.

Police are investigating allegations that the fight was planned after children from Hamilton were caught up in a turf war during the holidays.

Headmaster Colin Steward and his fellow teachers tried to break up the battle.

Two ambulances were also sent to the school to take three injured pupils to hospital.

One boy, aged 14, was kept in overnight with concussion.

But just as the incident looked under control, footage of the riot appeared on an internet website.

Pupils can be heard screaming obscenities at each other as the battle rages.

The violent scenes clearly show the playground fight unfolding.

More than 1,000 internet users have already logged on to watch the battle in footage lasting just over one minute.

Last night, the school source added: "This is an incident that everyone at the school hopes to quickly forget. But the existence of this footage means the ugly memory won't disappear.

"The footage is sickening - it's not pleasant to watch schoolchildren caught up in violence in their own playground."

Hamilton Grammar School staff have now launched an investigation into the fight.

Five pupils have been charged in connection with the incident and police have launched a search for two others believed to have been involved.

It is understood that several of the ringleaders were identified by teachers at the scene and are now facing expulsion from the school.

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