Infected blood: Group of 36 lodge legal action against Hampshire school

Des Collins (middle), from the law firm, accompanied some of the group at the High Court

A group of 36 people have filed legal action against a school in Hampshire where pupils were given contaminated blood in the 1970s and 80s.

The group, made up of former students and the families of those who have died, are seeking damages from Lord Mayor Treloar School in Alton.

At least 72 pupils died after they were given blood products infected with HIV and hepatitis.

Collins Solicitors said it had lodged an application at London's High Court.

In a statement, the college said: "We are unable to comment on the legal action taken against Treloar's at this point, but we will continue to cooperate with the public inquiry into these issues and await its outcome."

Gary Webster is among the former pupils seeking damages from Treloars

The law firm representing the group said it was seeking damages from Treloars for an alleged failure of its duty of care to its pupils with haemophilia in the 1970s and 1980s.

Des Collins, from the law firm, said: "We are bringing this action following new evidence heard last year at the Infected Blood Inquiry.

"The extraordinary testimonies of Treloar's former headmaster, house master, care staff and clinicians at the hospital attached to the school made clear a total abrogation of responsibility which has had immense repercussions for my clients."

One of the claimants, 56-year-old Gary Webster, from Bishopstoke, said: "Why didn't our headmaster or other teachers want to know what was being injected into pupils in their care at the time?

"It beggars belief. We have witnessed the deaths of so many friends while experiencing truly awful life-affecting consequences as a result of unnecessarily contracting these illnesses, is really difficult to comprehend and accept.

"We hope that by bringing this case such trauma can never happen to anyone else."

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The boarding school, at Holybourne, catered for haemophiliac children via a specialist NHS centre on site.

From 1974 to 1987 boys were given the factor VIII clotting agent, which came from abroad, including the US. Batches were widely contaminated with hepatitis A, B, C and later HIV, infecting thousands of haemophiliacs across the UK.

Lord Mayor Treloar School in Holybourne, Hampshire, in the late 1980s