Horror knife attack yards from primary school

PARENTS today spoke of their horror after a man was stabbed beside a phone box just yards from a city primary school where pupils had just begun lessons.

SCENE OF THE CRIME: The phone box is overlooked by classrooms at Sighthill Primary School. Picture: IAN GEORGESON

The 37-year-old victim was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after being attacked in Calder Gardens at 9.30am yesterday. Police said the man was in a "stable" condition. The stabbing took place in full view of the classroom windows of Sighthill Primary School.

One parent at the school, who asked not to be named, said: "I spoke to a woman who had been walking her dog and she saw what happened. She said there was a struggle between two men and one of them had a knife and stabbed the other.

"The man with the knife ran right past her."

The phone box was cordoned off by officers, with police tape attached to the metal railings of the playground.

Sarah Lissamer, 32, a full-time mother with an eight-year-old and five-year-old child at the school, said: "I'm absolutely disgusted that this happened right beside the school. Children should not be exposed to that kind of violence.

"It was only last week that a man committed suicide by jumping from the 11th floor of the high flats across the street, right at the time when the kids were getting out of school. Many of the children saw what happened. It's ridiculous that these things are happening right in front of them at their age."

Sean Steven, 27, has a five-year-old daughter who attends the school. He said: "It's a disgrace because children could easily have been looking out of the window when this happened. I hate to think of the effect that might have on them.

"There should be CCTV cameras covering the exterior of the school, because these kind of incidents are happening too often round here.

"I'm also worried that a child could have been injured when this happened because the kids would've been in the playground just before it happened. What happens if the attacker had dumped the knife in the school grounds and one of the kids could pick it up? There's already bushes next to the school which are full of discarded needles used by drug addicts.

"I don't think the council or the police care what happens in this area. I would move my kids away if I could."

A city council spokesman said: "It's obviously concerning that this happened near to a school but we are aware that police are investigating. We work closely with police to ensure that all pupils in our schools are as safe as possible."

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said: "Lothian and Borders Police can confirm a 3O-year-old man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder following an incident on Friday, November 26 in Calder Gardens, Edinburgh.

"He is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, November 30."

"Anyone who was in the area of Calder Gardens at the time of the incident, who has any information that can assist our inquiries, should contact police on 0131-311 3131."