CONTRACTORS have moved into begin knocking down the school gym where a 12-year-old pupil was crushed by a falling internal wall.
The demolition of the building at Liberton High School in Edinburgh comes six months after the death of Keane Wallis Bennett.
Keane was killed when a separating wall built to allow students to change in privacy in the PE changing area fell on top of her.
It comes as the Health and Safety Executive continues its investigation into the tragedy. The City of Edinburgh Council has also given the go ahead for £2.5million investment to replace the gym facilities at the school. The project is due to be completed next year.
There had been delays to the demolition due to the on-going investigation.
The Scottish Government will pay up to £1.6m towards the cost of a new £2.5m PE facility, due to be completed next year.
Plans for a memorial are also under way.
Paul Godzik, education convener, had previously said the "overwhelming view" was that the existing gym should be demolished "as soon as possible."
Liberton High School, which was built in 1959, has been closed and is being surveyed by structural inspectors and examined by police and health and safety experts. A number of other schools in the capital were given safety checks for any potential danger in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy.
Keane's family described her at the time as "our princess who dreamed of being Prime Minister. But failing that, a beautician."
They added: "She loved her girlfriends and her days out shopping, with lunches and all things girly. She recently attended her first under-18s disco, and loved every second of it, and was excited to be going to see One Direction in concert."
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