Flooding 'disaster' at school as water destroys library and causes thousands of pounds of damage

Damage caused by flooding at Tewkesbury CofE Primary School
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


A school has described damage caused by sudden flooding as a 'disaster'. Tewkesbury CofE Primary School has been severely affected by the thunderstorms that brought chaos to Gloucestershire on Friday.

The heavy rain during the severe weather was too much for the drains to take and water poured through the roof and into the school's library, which had only recently been renovated. More than £12,500 worth of books have been ruined.

Over a terrible few hours, water cascaded through the school, in Chance Street, as well as the library, it went to the hall and intervention rooms. Robert Stagg, PE and Outdoor Play and Learning co-ordinator, said one bit of luck was that a new mural survived the deluge.

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The school’s PTFA have already launched a GoFundMe page for people to make donations. It raised £1,000 in the first two hours.

Mr Stagg said: "While Tewkesbury is accustomed to flooding, the drains could not cope with the sudden and prolonged thunderstorm that came on the afternoon of Friday. As the rain increased in intensity, it quickly overwhelmed the drains of Tewkesbury Church of England Primary School and, instead of draining safely away, cascaded through the roof and into the school’s recently renovated library, ruining over £12,500 worth of books, hundreds of which had only recently been bought.

"Over the next few hours, water gushed into the school, filling the school library, hall, corridors and intervention rooms with water. Learning of the disaster, staff raced back to school, to save as many books, materials and pieces of education equipment as possible, staying late into Friday evening.

"Once the affected areas had been emptied, the clean-up could begin. Early on Saturday morning, Staff returned to school to assist further. The clean- up operation was extensive and has resulted in the school being closed on at least Monday while the staff work to return the school to a usable condition."

Flooding damage at the school
Flooding damage at the school

Tewkesbury Primary School wasn't the only school or building to be affected by the thunderstorms on Friday. Chosen Hill School in Churchdown will also stay closed on Monday while Leisure at Cheltenham was forced to stay shut on Saturday after the extreme weather.

The Tewkesbury Primary School appeal reads: "Help us rebuild our library, after a storm in Tewkesbury our beloved school has suffered flooding, our beautiful newly refurbished library is in need of your help, we have lost the majority of our books due to water damage. Please help us in restoring our library to its former glory." You can support Tewkesbury Primary School's appeal here.