By Danielle NuttallTHE classmates of two teenagers who died after they were struck by a car have come together in an emotional assembly to remember their lost friends.

By Danielle Nuttall

THE classmates of two teenagers who died after they were struck by a car have come together in an emotional assembly to remember their lost friends.

The special gathering - which included a period of silence - was held at Stoke High School in Ipswich yesterday in tearful tribute to 15-year-old pupils Scott Towler and Dean Bloomfield.

Headteacher Martin Liddle described the occasion as “sombre” and said the school was trying to come to terms with the consequences of the two deaths.

Pupils at the school were being offered the services of two professional counsellors to help them deal with their grief, he added.

Mr Liddle said yesterday: “We are a school community which is dealing with the consequences of a terribly tragic and random incident.

“Our school assembly this morning was clearly very sombre as we gathered together to remember Dean and Scott.

“I believe the caring nature of the school was reflected most strongly during a period of silence shared by us at this time.

“We will continue to offer pupils the support of trained counsellors and our thoughts remain with the families of the boys.”

A spokeswoman for Suffolk County Council said two educational psychologists had been at the school yesterday to help both teachers and pupils.

“They are there to offer support to the staff at the school - pupils can talk more easily to teachers that they see every day than to central staff,” she added.

“They may deal with some groups of pupils who are particularly affected by the tragedy - but that would come a bit later.”

Dean was with his best friend Scott in Fore Hamlet, Ipswich, on Friday when a blue Volvo mounted the pavement and collided with the teenagers.

Scott died almost immediately, while Dean lost his fight for life at Ipswich Hospital on Saturday morning.

His parents, Sharon and Dennis Bloomfield, were forced to make the painful decision to turn off their son's life support machine.

Dean had been holding his girlfriend's hand at the time of the accident, but she escaped uninjured.

Tributes have continued to be paid to Dean, who lived in Burrell Road, Ipswich, had two sisters and a brother, and was a key member of the Silent Street Labour Club pool team.

Club secretary Barry Fulcher said: “Dean was a normal lad and was interested in lots of social activities. He was well-liked and came from a very nice family unit. The whole family are regulars here.

“He played pool and took part in lots of things like that. He liked his darts and was well-behaved. He will be sadly missed and it's a big void as far as the Labour Club is concerned.”

n A 33-year-old man arrested in connection with the deaths of Dean and Scott is still under police observation in hospital.

He is being detained on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident and driving under the influence of drink or drugs.

danielle.nuttall@eadt.co.uk