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School counts cost of flooding damage
A school has lost thousands of pounds worth of books and IT equipment after a burst water pipe flooded its classrooms.
St Andrew's Primary School in Kettering was due to start its spring term yesterday but remained closed as the clean up continued.
The school caretaker discovered the flood on Monday, December 20, after a pipe burst in the roof.
Headteacher Rani Singh said: "When I arrived the water was still pouring through the ceiling into two of the classrooms.
"The ceiling had collapsed and the school hall had three inches of water on the floor.
"There were four classrooms affected, two very seriously.
"It has ruined our community room and our new kitchen. Two interactive whiteboards have been ruined, two computers and laptops.
"We have lost reading books that we have just bought, whole reading schemes, and children's work and books have been destroyed. All by one burst pipe.
"We are still processing the cost of it all and it's in the hands of the insurers."
The school was due to re-open to children today with makeshift classrooms being set up in the library.
The headteacher added: "The staff came in last week and, bless them, they stayed for the day to help take an inventory of everything that has been damaged. Everybody is really pulling together.
"It's going to take about six weeks to repair the damage. We will have to get through until half term as best as we can.
"We have converted the library into a classroom."
The county has been beset by plumbing problems because of the recent cold weather.
Kelvin Gross, a plumber for 10 years with Blue Water Plumbing Services in Broughton, said: "There has been a big increase in burst pipes and frozen tanks in the loft.
"I would say I'm seeing 100 per cent more incidents like that than I was this time last year. The weather has been very extreme, I haven't seen anything like this before."
Anglian Water says the company has seen a 300 per cent increase in burst pipes.
Youth centre suffers
Volunteers have been working around the clock at Kettering's Keystones Youth Centre to repair flood damage after a pipe burst.
Rhys Mercer, 19, said: "I couldn't believe how much water there was.
The ceiling came through and we spent most of last week pumping the water out.
"We have only just had one of the rooms decorated and that will need doing again."
The centre is hoping to open as scheduled next week.
However the News Plus shop next to Kettering railway station is facing a two-month closure after suffering a flood.
Saroj Patel, who runs the shop with her husband and daughter, said: "There was just so much water and damage we have had to clear the whole shop.
"Times were bad enough.
"We are worried we will lose our regular customers who will go elsewhere while we are closed and then not come back.
"It's very hard."
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Weather for Kettering
Sunday 27 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
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