A HEADTEACHER at one of Woodford Green's largest schools has temporarily left his post after being badly injured in a car crash.

Andrew Beaumont, of Woodbridge High School in St Barnabas Road, suffered a punctured lung and broke a leg when the bike he was riding was hit by a car just over a week ago, it has emerged.

Pupils at the school have told the Guardian that staff have been reluctant to talk about what happened amid concerns over the seriousness of his condition, but he is now expected to make a recovery and his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Deputy head Gordon McGowan, a long-standing member of staff at the school, has taken over as acting head.

One parent, who did not wish to be named, said she had been told that Mr Beaumont had been riding home from the school when the crash happened, and that he had been thrown from his bicycle by the force of the collision.

Mr Beaumont joined Woodbridge in 2003 following the retirement of previous headteacher Barbara Haigh.

No-one from the school was available for comment this morning (Sunday).