A SCHOOL in Edinburgh was stunned yesterday by a road accident in

which four pupils and a recent school leaver, all under 18, were killed.

Details about the crash on Tuesday night in which the five, all

travelling in a new BMW, were in collision with a Vauxhall Cavalier,

were given at an assembly of fifth and sixth formers at Broughton High

School by Mr John Scott, the head teacher.

Many pupils wept as Mr Scott addressed them. ''It is quite numbing

that five young people should be killed in one accident,'' he said.

The BMW, which crossed the central reservation in Queensferry Road

near Orchard Brae just before the collision, was being driven by

17-year-old Melody Mai-Yee Mak, daughter of Mr Kenny Mak, owner of the

Ping-On, a Chinese restaurant in the Stockbridge district of Edinburgh.

Melody, of Craigleith Hill Avenue, one of five children, died with her

friends Carol McGowan, 17, of Orchard Bank, William Feachen, 17, of

Craigleith Hill Park, Paul Taylor, 17, of Easter Drylaw Place, and Lief

Rohde, 17, of Carlton Terrace, all of Edinburgh. Three were in sixth

year, one in fifth year, and Paul Taylor had left recently to join

Guardian Royal Exchange insurance company.

Two women in the Cavalier, Kim Pfeiffer, 22, of Rowantree Grove,

Currie, and Julie Hounson, 26, of Wester Drylaw Drive, Edinburgh, were

seriously injured and admitted to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with leg and

internal injuries.

The assembly, attended by about 200 pupils, was called to offer

sympathy and support to those in the fifth and sixth years most affected

by the accident, and to let them know it had affected many of the staff

as well, said Mr Jim McGinley, the deputy head teacher.

It is believed Melody passed her driving test two months ago. All five

had spent the evening at William Feachen's home and were out for a short

drive in the BMW before going home. Police said that the BMW driver had

apparently lost control of the car, and have appealed for any witnesses

to come forward.