A SCHOOL will remain closed today despite lengthy efforts to relieve the effects of flooding.

But a second primary school in the Durham area, also hit by weekend flooding, is to reopen today, following a successful mopping up operation by staff.

Teachers and other staff arrived to find water lying in both St Hild's CE Primary School, in Renny's Lane, Gilesgate Moor, and Bowburn Junior School, in Surtees Avenue, Bowburn, yesterday.

A suspected drainage block caused problems during heavy rainfall at St Hild's Primary last Friday, but staff hoped the situation would have improved by yesterday.

Head teacher Jane Katsambis said: "We knew we were having problems with the drainage, and we had booked to have drainage workers coming in to make repairs during half-term.

"But there was a huge storm on Friday, and water started gushing in on us during our celebration assembly.

"We managed to carry on, British stiff upper lip and all that, and the children were wonderful. We had mops and buckets out, but we have had to bring forward the work we were planning to have done at half-term, and the electrics have all been off.

"There's a lot of drying out to do and still more work on the drainage, so we will not be opening on Tuesday."

Mrs Katsambis said climate change appears to be the cause, as the school was told, following flooding three years ago, it was the sort of thing that should only happen every two decades.

But the same drainage problems have resulted in flooding several times since.

Parents are asked to check local radio bulletins, the website www.st-hilds.durham. sch.uk, or telephone 0191-384 7451 to find out if classes will resume tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Bowburn Junior School headteacher Lynne Lyons had high praise for teachers, supervisors, classroom assistants and caretaker Joyce Heslop for their "fabulous efforts", mopping up yesterday.

She said the "military operation" began from first thing yesterday after flooding was discovered, following a toilet blockage