The school where a teenager was stabbed to death in a corridor has been sent hundreds of messages of support from around the world.
The global show of solidarity with Aberdeen’s Cults Academy emerged as a youth appeared in court accused of murdering 16-year-old Bailey Gwynne.
The youngster – who is also aged 16 and cannot be named for legal reasons – is alleged to have struck Bailey on the body with a knife.
He also faced charges of being in possession of a “bladed” weapon and an offensive weapon while on the grounds of a school.
The teenager, whose address was given in court papers simply as Aberdeen, made no plea when he appeared in private before Sheriff Alison Stirling at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday afternoon.
The hearing lasted almost an hour and the youth was committed for further examination and remanded in custody.
He is expected to appear in court again at the end of next week.
Cults Academy has received numerous letters and e-mails from the public and schools across the UK and further afield expressing their condolences following Bailey death.
He was found seriously injured at the school at lunchtime on Wednesday.
Despite desperate efforts by teachers and paramedics to save him he died later at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Hundreds of people have now laid floral tributes and left emotional messages outside the school gates.
Bailey’s family – his mother Kate, stepfather John Henderson and four younger brothers – released a statement in which they said there were no words to describe the loss of their “beloved boy”, who was a “special son, brother, grandson and friend”.
Last night, local authority leader Jenny Laing said the response to the tragedy had been “overwhelming”.
Councillor Laing said: “The amount of support for the school family, and the wider community, has been overwhelming and will no doubt help in the weeks ahead.
“We have in place a series of measures to help pupils, families and our staff during what has been a difficult time.
“The pupils will be welcomed back to school on Monday so we can provide support, and also so we can start the process of helping them back into their studies.”
On Thursday, scores of youngsters gathered outside the academy entrance in Quarry Road to pay their own tribute to their friend and later attended a vigil for the fifth-year pupil at Cults Parish Church.
Yesterday, the sea of floral tributes and messages laid outside the school gate continued to grow and a touching portrait of Bailey was pinned to the railings.
Bailey attended Lairhillock Primary School in Maryculter and then the city’s Waldorf School.
He moved to Cults Academy when the Waldorf was closed last year.
According to friends, he loved fitness and had aspirations to join the Royal Marines after he left school.
The council has confirmed Cults Academy, which has been closed since Wednesday’s incident, will reopen on Monday.