MYSTERY surrounds the sudden suspension of Colebrook Junior School headteacher Anthony Talbot.

Mr Talbot has been suspended for “reasons unrelated to the school” and a head from another school in the town has been drafted in to take charge.

Mr Talbot, who has been at the school in Towcester Road, Coleview, for more than five years, hit the headlines last February when he tried in vain to save the life of pensioner Cyril Head, 83, who lost control of his car and crashed into a school building.

Despite several attempts to resuscitate the pensioner, Mr Talbot was unable to save him.

A Swindon Council spokeswoman could not confirm exactly when Mr Talbot was suspended before the Advertiser went to print, but did say it was recently.

She also could not comment on the reasons for the action.

She said: “We can confirm that the headteacher of Colebrook Junior School has been suspended for reasons which are unrelated to the school.

“Staff and parents have been informed, and we have assigned an interim headteacher to the school during the suspension period.”

The spokeswoman was able to confirm that St Andrew’s Church of England School head Jane Wheatley has been appointed to take charge of the school after the suspension of Mr Talbot.

Mr Talbot has served as acting headteacher since 2005 and was a familiar face in the local community.

Since 2008 there has been talk of amalgamating Colebrook Junior School with its sister school Colebrook Infant School, whose long serving head Sue Carvey retired after 20 years in December.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said to their knowledge there was no police investigation surrounding the suspension but the council was unable to comment on this.

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