Flash flooding closes Sleaford area school

Heavy rain, thunder and lightning hit the Sleaford area around lunchtime today (Wednesday) prompting a number of calls for assistance to flash flooding incidents in the area including Drury Street and Londesborough Road, Metheringham.

Chestnut Street Primary School at Ruskington took the brunt of the storm at about 2pm, explains headteacher Laura Suffield.

She said: “Water kept pouring into the central courtyard of the school and it had nowhere to go except seep into the main hall. It has gone under the doors and into the corridor and flooded that and another room, so we had to get a fire crew to pump out the courtyard. I have never seen rain like it.”

She said they first noticed it coming in through a skylight and it got into the electrics, setting off the fire alarm. “Wherever I turned people were telling me more and more water was coming in from every direction,” she said. “There is beautiful parquet flooring in the hall and we have mopped and soaked up as much as we can, but until it dries out properly we don’t know what will happen to it.”

They have had roofing contractors in, electricians to sort out the alarm and installed dehumidifiers, but have taken the decision it would be unsafe to open the school tomorrow (Thursday).

Mrs Suffield said: “Knowing where the water has come from it would not be hygienic or safe - we have to have a proper deep clean.

“There will just be staff in to help cleam up.”

She said there was no time to send children home early today and she would not have wanted parents to take risks driving in such hazardous conditions. Parents have been notified about the closure by text, letter and over the radio, as well as informing those who came to collect children at the end of the day. Mrs Suffield said they had been very supportive.