Standing ovation as primary school attack hero Lisa Potts becomes Wolverhampton's first 'Freewoman'
There were smiles and tears as Lisa Potts was made Wolverhampton's first Freewoman in front of a standing ovation led by civic chiefs.
The former nursery nurse who saved the lives of schoolchildren from a machete-wielding attacker 26 years ago was awarded the Freedom of the City of Wolverhampton status at an extraordinary meeting of the council on Wednesday.
She was bestowed the highest civic honour for her bravery, as well as in recognition of her work as nurse for the NHS and as a charity organiser since the incident which happened on July 8, 1996.
Miss Potts was among three adults who were injured along with three infant pupils at St Luke's Primary when paranoid schizophrenic Horrett Campbell entered the Park Street South school grounds armed with a machete.
She was presented with the medal engraved with the word 'Freewoman' following a unanimous vote at the emotional meeting, watched on by her husband Dave.
Miss Potts told the councillors: "Thank you to everyone in this room who nominated me. I was really shocked when I got the note telling me that I was the first to get a medal with Freewoman of the City on it. I am deeply and truly touched.
"When we look back and think that is was 26 years ago and that I was only 21 then. I didn't set out to work that day expecting that to happen.
"It really was a fight or flight moment. I was injured along with three other children. I do still meet some of those children who are all adults now."
Miss Potts, who turns 47 this week, said the honours was the icing on the cake ahead of her birthday.
She told the council chamber that her experiences since the fateful incident had included the launch of her own foundation Believe To Achieve based in city schools and had set up children's projects overseas including Romania.
Paying tribute to her public service Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Greg Brackenbridge said: "We do have other females which have had Freedom of the City, but their medals said 'Freeman' so we have dragged it into the 21st century quite rightly.
"Lisa is the first recipient of the medal to say 'Freewoman' and it's about time too."
In July 1996 Campbell, armed with a machete, attacked pupils and staff at St Lukes primary school in Blakenhall. He was later detained under the Mental Health Act.
When Campbell was sentenced the following March, the judge ordered that he be detained indefinitely in a secure mental hospital. Experts warned he was too psychotic to be held in prison and that it was unlikely he would ever make a full recovery.
He was convicted of seven counts of attempted murder and when his trial ended at Stafford, the judge said he would recommend a bravery award for the heroine because of the way, despite her injuries, she shielded the tiny pupils from the potential killer’s blows.
The Freedom of the City is the 22nd award that she has received.
