Individual "acts of heroism" at school praised after fatal stabbing of pupil

Bailey Gwynne, described as a "gentle and caring" boy, suffered serious injuries in the attack at Cults Academy, in west Aberdeen, at around 1.30pm on Wednesday.

He died a short time later at the city's Royal Infirmary, sparking a murder investigation by police.

A teenage boy, also 16, was detained following the incident and is being questioned by officers.

Teachers reportedly fought to try to save the life of the injured boy, who was said to have been stabbed in the stomach.

Writing on her public blog to staff, Aberdeen City Council chief executive Angela Scott said: "I know that there were individual acts of heroism at the school yesterday and I fully appreciate that there were sights and experiences for many that you simply do not expect to have to face."

She paid tribute to head teacher Anna Muirhead and her team at the school, saying they are putting measures in place to make sure pupils, parents and staff are given the support they need following the "heart-breaking" incident.

She also wrote: "The anguish being suffered by parents, family and friends is unimaginable and I am certain I speak for us all in expressing the deepest sympathy to them."

Meanwhile, a candlelit vigil is to be held. 

Cults Parish Church in Aberdeen will host the event on Thursday night following the death of the 16-year-old boy at nearby Cults Academy.

Rev Ewen Gilchrist said he is opening the church to provide a "sanctuary where people can come" following the death of student Bailey Gwynne.

Rev Gilchrist, part of the school's chaplaincy team, told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland: "We will be opening the church all day today and there will be a vigil at 8 o'clock tonight which is for pupils, staff, folk in the community who are trying to come to terms with a terrible event.

"It is shocking and it must take time to sink in, there is no script that prepares a community for this, there is no school that would immediately be able to take this in its stride.

"The chaplaincy team will offer whatever support they can to staff, teachers and pupils."

He said the local community would rally round those who are struggling to come to terms with events at the secondary school, although Rev Gilchrist said "healing will take time".

But he stressed: "The community is very supportive, the wider community, people will quietly keep an eye on each other, that's what we would expect people to do and the churches will do what we can to be part of that process."

Members of the school chaplaincy team are meeting to plan the vigil, and Rev Gilchrist added: "We will try to respond to the question and the needs of folk in our community.

"If folk wish to discuss these things we're here to listen, we're not there to analyse, we're not there to scrutinise, but we open the church building, which is right beside the school bus stop, we open that so there is a safe place, a warm place, a sanctuary where people can come. It can be for listening, it can be for sharing, it can be for prayer."