The path used by John of Gaunt pupils to reach lessons held at The Clarendon, the scene of last week's attackWILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: SIXTH formers in Trowbridge have angrily accused teachers of keeping quiet about an alleyway sex attack outside the school gates.

Students at The John of Gaunt School are concerned they had to learn about the attack on a 17-year-old girl from pupils of another school.

The assault, one of four in Trowbridge in the space of 30 minutes, has terrified pupils who are pleading with teachers to stop making them use the narrow alley to reach lessons held at Clarendon School.

The teenage victim was grabbed and pushed against railings, just metres away from the school's Gloucester Road entrance, on Thursday lunchtime.

Her attacker, who had a bread knife stuffed down his jeans, only stopped pulling at her belt when two boys appeared in the distance, but chased her again as she tried to escape.

John of Gaunt sixth formers believe teachers should have been upfront from the start and must now consider opening up a locked back gate, so A-level students from both schools can avoid using the alley.

One 17-year-old pupil spoke of the horror felt by students and said they were not even told someone had been arrested.

"The sixth formers are all confused. No-one knows what is going on. Everyone is on edge when they walk through the alley," she said.

"We have learned everything from Clarendon students.

"Everyone is disappointed by the way John of Gaunt has handled this. There is a petition going around to get the back gate opened and loads of people have already signed. I think it is really irresponsible to make us go through the alley to get to lessons after what has happened."

Clarendon and John of Gaunt offer joint sixth form courses with lessons held at both sites.

Letters were sent out to parents of students at Clarendon School just hours after the attack.

Lyn Sharpe, acting headteacher at John of Gaunt, admitted she is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea after closing the gate last year for health and safety reasons. "Due to the large size of our site I felt it was important to protect our young people from intruders and decided to shut the gate," she said.

"I am reconsidering but we have to consider the safety of everyone.

"I chose to pass a message about the attack to students via tutors because I didn't want to panic anyone. I was unaware that this message had not been delivered by all tutors."

Clarendon School headteacher Colin Kay said the schools would work together to solve the issue. "We want our students to feel safe and we want John of Gaunt pupils to feel safe. We acted as we did on the day as we felt it was a very serious incident," he said.

Minutes after the first assault, the man ran towards a 20-year-old woman in Gloucester Road, grabbing her around the waist and attempting to kiss her.

Managing to struggle free the woman was chased along Westbourne Road where the man lunged at her a second time.

At about the same time a third woman was confronted in the same alleyway, when a man stood in front of her and tried to strike up conversation. Refusing to move from her path, the victim shouted at him to move and managed to escape.

Just after 1.10pm an 18-year-old girl told police she felt terrified after an attacker grabbed her by the arm as she passed Taylor Made butchers.

Police are appealing for witnesses to all four incidents.

A 25-year-old Trowbridge man was arrested in Wingfield Road on Thursday in connection with all four assaults.

Doctors deemed him unfit for interview and the man has been sectioned under terms of the Mental Health Act.