DAMAGE caused at Weyford Infant School by a burst water pipe has been described as ÒheartbreakingÓ by the schoolÕs headteacher.

Judy Nicholls spoke after childrenÕs work and work put together by teachers was ruined in the deluge.

ÒThe furniture and equipment can be replaced, but the work is irreplaceable,Ó said Miss Nicholls.

Water Òrained downÓ into two classrooms at the Bordon school last Thursday, ruining carpets, furniture and classroom equipment.

Forty-eight children from classes in the two affected rooms, Willow and Sycamore, could not return to school until Wednesday.

The schoolÕs 276 pupils were not due to return after the Christmas holiday until Tuesday because of a teacher training day. But the training day had to be cancelled because of the burst pipe.

Instead of learning about ICT (information computer technology), teachers helped to clear up the mess.

The problem was discovered by school caretaker Chris Jaques last Thursday when he returned some of the schoolÕs cleaning equipment, which by coincidence he had borrowed to mop up a flood at St MarkÕs Shared Church the previous evening.

ÒAs I walked past the two classrooms I saw water seeping out from underneath the doors. When I opened the door of Willow classroom I found that there was two centimetres of water on the floor,Ó he said.

Mr Jaques turned the water off at the mains before contacting Miss Nicholls, who phoned those staff who live in the Bordon area to ask them to come in to help mop up.

The fire service was also contacted and sent out a station officer who helped to clear up.

ÒThe station officer punctured holes in the ceiling of Willow classroom to allow the water to come through,Ó said Miss Nicholls.

Mr Jaques, who has been a caretaker at the school for three years, said: ÒThe water was literally raining out of the roof.Ó

A carpet cleaner was used to suck the water out of the carpet and it took staff, the station officer, the caretaker and his wife, Jane Jaques, until 4-30 pm on Thursday to clear up.

Dehumidifiers were provided by Hampshire County Council.

The water seeped into a cupboard in the year two Sycamore classroom and ruined work kept there, but did not reach other furniture and equipment. The classÕs pupils were able to return to their classroom on Wednesday.

Children taught in the year one classroom, Willow, were not so lucky, however, and have had to be moved to the schoolÕs annexe, which is separated from the main building.

It was the second time in three months that the pupils in Willow class have moved classrooms.

In October they moved from one of the two hutted classrooms, now demolished, to the newly decorated classroom inside the school.

Class teacher Jane Clabon said: ÒItÕs terrible. We have lost wooden units, books and equipment.

ÒThe equipment that has been salvaged now has to be washed and disinfected, new books have to be made and new equipment needs to be made and labelled for the children.Ó

The annexe, which will house the class until their classroom has been redecorated and refurbished, was being used as a drama and dance room.

ÒIn a way we are lucky to have the extra classroom because in many schools the pupils would be taught in the hall if a classroom was flooded,Ó said Jane Clabon.

The flooding is all too familiar for for her and for Judy Nicholls, who were faced with much the same situation when they both worked at Alton Infant School six years ago.

Said Miss Nicholls: ÒItÕs terrible to see all the devastation that has been caused by the water. We had a lot of disruption last term with children moving from the hutted classrooms and the building work which was going on outside.

ÒI thought that after the Christmas break we could all come back to a new term without disruption.Ó

Hampshire County Council spokesman Damon Embling, said: ÒThe county council is working with the school to replace the carpets and the ceiling.

ÒAt this stage the county councilÕs contractors do not know when the work will be finished.Ó