180 pupils sent home after burst

CLOSURE decision . . . head teacher Elizabeth Travis outside the school

MORE than 180 children were sent home from school yesterday after a major water burst brought chaos to a village.

Problems began near the entrance to Holy Trinity C of E primary school in Dobcross.

Workman from United Utilities, working on a main at Dobcross New Road, reported problems with the water supply and the school was alerted.

Ms Elizabeth Travis, took the decision to close the school because there was no water for preparing lunches on the premises, washing or toilet facilities.

Her team alerted parents and guardians by telephone and email and children were collected from the school throughout the morning.

Ms Travis said: “It’s very frustrating this should occur just after we had returned from a half term holiday. “However, health and safety issues are paramount.”

More than 80 homes round the busy Woolpack junction and the surrounding area, had supplies cut.

The burst is a double whammy for frustrated villagers who have been facing traffic hold-ups since Good Friday when a water main burst and partially closed Brownhills Bridge – just a few hundred yards from yesterday’s scene .

Local businessman, James Wells, said: “It’s scandalous that these things keep happening. The latest burst means that a huge section of Dobcross New Road is now closed in two places.

“I have just paid water rates of almost £600 – and these burst cause untold problems for road users and families living here.”

Douglas Greenwood, who lives in a house near the school, said: “We have had problems with our water supplies for a couple of days. We get no warning."

A United Utilities spokesman said: “Our engineering team has been on site all day to isolate the burst and dig down to find the damaged pipe.”