WEATHERMAN Bob Johnson couldn't conjure up the sun but the forecast is looking brighter for a primary school's pupils.

The popular Tyne Tees TV forecaster officially re-opened Nevilles Cross Primary School in Durham last week following extensive building work.

Workmen have been at the school for several months, building a new classroom and carrying out alterations to the existing building. All the disruption will prove worthwhile because the school will be able to reduce the size of some infant classes.

Deputy head Linda Johnston said: "The class sizes will be much smaller from September. What has been done is beautiful but it has been a fairly traumatic time.

"We have been working while they have been taking out walls and fire alarms have been going off. Class sizes will come down from the 30s to the 20s - it is part of new Government regulations - which is obviously good for the kids. Where the infants are now used to be the juniors.

"We decided to create an infant suite so the new classroom has been taken over by our reception and infants. Every class bar one has moved."