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Original poster

The DUNBLANE programme.

29 replies

tiredemma · 08/03/2006 20:50

I dont think i have ever watched anything on tv as powerful and emotive as this.

maybe because i have a 5 yr old and from my pc can see a class photo on my shelf almost identical to the class at Dunblane.

so, so sad- as a parent you can almost imagine the absolute gut wrenching agony of waiting outside that school.

very powerful programme, quite eery that he had enough ammunition to wipe the whole school out and arrived just 5 mins after assembly had finished- does this mean that he may of intended to kill all of them????

OP posts:

Hulababy · 08/03/2006 20:59

There were suggestions before that he would have known it was assembly time :(

I can't watch the programme. It would be too heartbreaking.

Original poster

tiredemma · 08/03/2006 21:01

very sad at the end, the children are all buried in two rows, with thier teacher at thier side. that last bit just nearly finished me off.

part of me wishes i hadnt watched it.

OP posts:

Flamesparrow · 08/03/2006 21:03

I only saw half of it, and missed that bit

I was 14 when it happened... I vividly remember my teacher coming in, face completely drained, and telling us that she felt we were old enough to be told what had happened. The squabbling about take that etc just died away, and most of us cried.... but now, a mum of a nearly 3 year old, newborn in my arms, I have sobbed through most of the programme. I remember being stunned and sad at the time, but not this kind of pain when you know the love that the parents felt for their children.

I am very close to waking DD to hold her tight and tell her how much I love her.

MrsSpoon · 08/03/2006 21:04

IIRC from news reports at the time he had asked a boy that he knew what time the assembly was and the boy accidently told him the wrong time. He had been planning it for weeks if not months.

It is so sad.

futurity · 08/03/2006 21:05

just been in to DS1 who will start school this year and looked at his beautiful innocent face. what a tough heartbreaking programme to watch

crazydazy · 08/03/2006 21:08

So sad....it is just unimaginable, that poor little girl and her Dad what he has suffered in his lifetime

Waswondering · 09/03/2006 09:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hullabaloo · 09/03/2006 16:57

I was teaching primary one at the time this tragedy happened and had gym at the same time. I had been talking about going to gym that morning before I left for work and after the news broke, my DH phoned the school really upset. He could relate so much to the event and had to speak to me just to check I was OK. I remember sitting in the staffroom crying because I had had a great morning with my little ones running around and playing games, the thought of anything happening while they are in your care is just horrrific.The programme was compelling and I too sat with tears rolling down my face.

expatinscotland · 09/03/2006 17:01

i saw it. it was really touching and tragic.

the footage of those parents running for that school.

and we'll never, ever know why he finally decided to do this.

foxinsocks · 09/03/2006 17:02

I couldn't watch most of it - I don't know how that poor man coped. Losing your wife and then your only child. What I found chilling was when he said he had promised his wife on her death bed that he would take care of their little girl and how terribly guilty he had felt that he hadn't managed to do that.

expatinscotland · 09/03/2006 17:03

her cats! he still had her cats.

Original poster

tiredemma · 09/03/2006 17:04

everytime the class picture came on i felt a chill run up my spine. all of those little faces, completely innocent and of no harm or threat to anybody.

even today, i cant stop thinking about it, when i took ds1 to school this morning, i welled up thinking about those parents kissing their children goodbye at the gates.

OP posts:

foxinsocks · 09/03/2006 17:12

awful, awful

I still find it as unbelievable now as I did when it happened 10 years ago.

seb1 · 09/03/2006 17:13

I watched and found it so sad, I also found it hard dropping my dd1 of at school this moring as she is in Primary 1 and her school is large like Dumblane with 3 P1 classes and standing watching the 3 lines go in today a bit of me felt like taking her home again, just to be safe

divamummy · 09/03/2006 19:01

im a weaky, i started it and turn off as i just couldnt bring myself watch it. i was on my own last night. i really feel sad:(

Original poster

tiredemma · 09/03/2006 19:13

i vaguely remember now mrsSpoon, didnt he ask the boy what time assembly started and the boy said 9.30 which was actually the time that it finished? i absolutely shudder at the thought of what would of happened if he had gone during assembly.

OP posts:

SorenLorensen · 09/03/2006 19:20

It was so sad, very difficult to watch.

As I mentioned on another thread, it's ds1's birthday on March 13th (he was born a year after Dunblane) so he'll be 9 on Monday when it's the 10th anniversary. Because it's his birthday I always remember those children, their teacher and their families that day - as my boy marks another milestone in his life, milestones that those children were denied. The children who died will stay 5 for ever .

ja9 · 09/03/2006 19:25

when was this programme? i missed it. would really like to have seen it. did anyone tape it perhaps?

thanks.

TwoIfBySea · 09/03/2006 23:23

It was a very touching, deeply moving programme and watching Sophie's dad interact with her cat had both me and dh in floods of tears. Again at the stained glass windows which have to be the most beautiful memorial, the doves, linked by daisy chain, heading to the main dove representing the teacher calling them to class.

There was always the knowledge he intended on going in during the assembly. I hadn't realised just how close the other school classes came to death, with the P7s having to hide on the floor, thank God for a quick witted teacher!

How much that gym teacher has gone through as well. How could someone cope with those memories?

Waswondering · 10/03/2006 09:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ja9 · 10/03/2006 09:12

hi ww

i thought there was a prog on in scotland on monday night, but when i saw this thread i thought i must have missed it. thanks for that.

i'd still like to see the other one too if anyone has it. thanks.

Waswondering · 10/03/2006 09:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Twiga · 13/03/2006 21:27

Am sat watching this just now (BBC1 Scotland - not sure if on down south) and am so choked. I remember the story breaking 10 yrs ago, was in 6th form and we were all in the common room watching the news and all quiet for once. This was the first news story I remember making me cry and having a real impact - our english teacher cancelled his class and sat with us watching as more info was broadcast. As a mother now I can't even begin to imagine how awful things were/are for the families involved.

(Hi Ja9 and WW)

Twiga · 13/03/2006 22:00

That has to be one of the toughest things to sit through I've watched in a long time, can't believe the legislation and stuff recommended after still isn't properly in place. Missed the other prog discussed on here but Sophie's dad came across very well, can't imagine how he's coped losing his wife then his daughter

ja9 · 13/03/2006 22:01

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