A north Watford primary school was filled with film crews today for the latest series of popular BBC crime drama.

Silent Witness, which follows a team of forensic pathologists, has set up at Parkgate Junior School in preparation for season 28, which is due to premier in January 2025.

Although residents had been warned that there could be fake guns, police officers and emergency service vehicles on set, the crew spent much of the afternoon filming a scene involving schoolchildren and parents.

BBC film crews at Parkgate Junior School.BBC film crews at Parkgate Junior School. (Image: Newsquest)

Spoiler alert... sort of

Lasting around two minutes, the sequence sees a group of female parents talking as pupils leave the renamed 'Charlotte Mason Primary School' at the end of the day.

A male parent approaches the group before getting into an argument with one of the women, and they accuse each others’ child of being a bully.

Watch the scene below:

But the man is forced to back off after she shouts: “Stop trying to put your problems on somebody else!”

Tom Lyford, 75, and granddaughter Jessie, 19, were among the residents who stopped to watch the action as the crew repeated the scene multiple times.

The crew did multiple takes of a scene with parents and children.The crew did multiple takes of a scene with parents and children. (Image: Newsquest) Jessie, who lives five minutes up the road, said: “I used to go to school there so this is amazing to see.”

“I think it’s great they’re filming here,” Tom agreed. “As well as the Warner Bros. Studios, this filming is fantastic for the local economy.

Jessie and Tom Lyford stopped to watch the filming.Jessie and Tom Lyford stopped to watch the filming. (Image: Newsquest) “I will probably see if there’s any more action next week!”

Silent Witness fan Stephanie Whyte also said the filming was “exciting” as she stopped to watch the takes.

The 51-year-old described the series as “pretty real to life”, adding: “Some of these detective programmes are very jargony, I like that this is easy to get along with.”

Market Street was featured in season 27.Market Street was featured in season 27. (Image: BBC) Although traffic management was in place, vehicles were allowed to drive next to the set during takes, which one site member suggested was to give the scene more “natural car movement”.

Season 28 is set to focus on pathologist Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and forensic expert Jack Hodgson (David Caves), although the main characters were not seen on set today. 

Actors outside Charlotte Mason Primary School.Actors outside Charlotte Mason Primary School. (Image: Newsquest) Filming is also due to take place on Tuesday (August 27) and Wednesday (August 28) between 7.30am and 5.30pm, but the BBC reassured neighbours that the technical vehicles will be moved over the bank holiday weekend.

Silent Witness has visited Watford for previous seasons as eagle-eyed viewers were able to spot Market Street in one episode of series 27, which aired in January this year.