A Shropshire woman today spoke of her horror after being told the son of her former neighbours had gunned down 15 people in a killing spree near her home village in Germany.

The gunman, wearing combat gear, killed pupils in a “bloodbath” at his former school today before being shot dead by police. The 17-year-old killed at least 10 pupils and three teachers at the school near Stuttgart this morning.

As news of the attack unfolded Shrewsbury woman Gudren Billing, 49, who grew up in the village of Leutenbach-Weiler Zum Stein, was shocked to be told the gunman was the son of her former neighbours.

She said: “The parents of the killer lived next to us. The lad is 17 and he always had difficulties in learning things at school, he wasn’t popular.

“I had calls this morning from neighbours telling me what had happened and who it was.

“I am just shocked at what has happened out there.”

Mrs Billing, who is currently living in Sundorne, spoke to her sister Hildgard, who had been told to stay inside by police after the attack.

German media reports said the gunman’s parents had legal permits to hold 18 weapons. Regional police chief Erwin Hetger said: “He went into the school with a weapon and carried out a bloodbath. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”

After the shooting, the killer fled the Albertville high school toward the centre of Winnenden, a town of 28,000 near Stuttgart.

Witnesses said students jumped from the windows of the school building after the gunman opened fire. Concerned parents quickly swarmed around the school, which was evacuated.

About 1,000 children attend the school, from which the killer had graduated last year. The school is one of three on a campus, the others are grammar and primary schools.

The attack is the worst in Germany since 2002, when 19-year-old Robert Steinhaeuser shot and killed 12 teachers, a secretary, two students and a police officer before turning his gun on himself in the Gutenberg high school in Erfurt.

The attack led Germany to raise the age for owning recreational firearms from 18 to 21.

By Pam Griffin and Rhea Parsons