Oxfordshire: Three children poisoned with copper sulphate in Lord Williams’ School science laboratory
Three schoolchildren were hospitalised after they were poisoned with chemicals from their school’s science laboratory.
The students were rushed to hospital from Lord Williams’ School in Thame last week after they drank water from bottles laced with copper sulphate.
Neil Dimbleby, the school’s headteacher, said the three unidentified students had stayed in hospital overnight.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“The police were informed and have been supporting us through this incident,” he said.
“We are pleased to report that the students are all now safely at home.”
According to a report by This is Oxfordshire, it is understood that one child and a group of other classmates had intentionally added copper sulphate to the three students’ water bottles.
Thames Valley Police are investigating the incident and have not provided any further updates.
Copper sulphate is an oxidising agent which can cause severe cellular damage if ingested, particularly affecting red blood cells, the gastrointestinal system, kidneys and cardiovascular system.
Although rare, ingestion can be fatal in severe cases.
This comes after it was revealed that a Laos hostel at the centre of a deadly methanol poisoning which killed six travellers is quietly preparing to reopen.
Vang Vieng, long known for its backpacker bar crawls and wild river culture, became the scene of a mass poisoning in November 2024 when at least 11 tourists fell violently ill after drinking contaminated alcohol.
Two of them, Australians Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, died after being flown to a hospital in Thailand.
Their parents told the ABC that the grief has barely eased, and the lack of accountability has made it worse. As the anniversary nears, they say Laos authorities have failed to deliver answers to justice.
Four other travellers also tragically died, including Simone White from the UK, American tourist James Louis Hutson and Danish nationals Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman and Freka Vennervald Sorensen.
