A 12-YEAR-OLD boy suffered head and neck injuries after falling 15ft from the roof of a York school.

Emergency services used powerful cutting equipment to break through two steel gates to reach the boy, who fell from the roof of Derwent Junior School, in Osbaldwick Lane, at 8.45pm, yesterday.

It is believed a number of children were playing on the roof when the boy fell, but it was unclear how they got into the grounds.

Patrick Scott, director of education at the City of York Council, today issued a strong warning to parents in the wake of last night's accident.

He said the council did make efforts to occupy youngsters, but parents must take responsibility for their children.

Initial reports received last night said the youngster was impaled on railings, but it was found he had landed on a bench. Rescue crews had struggled to get into the school because there is an eight-foot high wire fence around the grounds, which are secured by chest-high steel gates.

Bolt croppers were used to break the lock on a gate to provide access for paramedics and they stabilised the boy, who was found to be conscious and talking.

Paramedics had to sedate him when he would not co-operate with them.

The boy is now at York Hospital where he is said to be in a comfortable condition. A spokesperson for the hospital was unable to comment on the severity of his injuries.

Mr Scott said: "Despite our best efforts and security at Derwent Junior, young children do sometimes gain access to school property. I think the best way to combat this is to provide alternative activities for children but it would be unusual for activities to be on at 9pm.

"My view is we expect parents to take responsibility for relatively young children at that time.

"We have the highest level of activities at the moment and it is all year round and young people have really responded to them."

An Osbaldwick Lane resident, whose son attends the school, said: "There are always kids playing on there when I take my son to school.

"There are often broken beer bottles about. I do not think there is anything the school can do about it. The fences are supposed to stop them getting in."

Mr Scott said: "You have to weigh up the pros and cons. I do not advocate security fences around all schools whatever their circumstances; sometimes you can achieve the same effect without these draconian methods.

"There are circumstances where security fences are the only option.

"The back of Westfield School is precisely such a situation where you have no security at all. Parents should be reassured there is no obstruction to the security services gaining access to the school when it is open."

Updated: 10:27 Friday, February 20, 2004