Schools forced to close due to flooding

Cardinal Allen RC High School in Fleetwood was forced closed today when the school was flooded following torrential rain.
Flooding near Cardinal Allen High School in Fleetwood last nightFlooding near Cardinal Allen High School in Fleetwood last night
Flooding near Cardinal Allen High School in Fleetwood last night

With two or three inches of water on the ground floor of the main school building, the Melbourne Avenue school said it could not risk allowing children in.

But head teacher Andrew Cafferkey said he hoped the school would be open on Friday.

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In a strange twist of timing, the incident came exactly 40 years after the school was forced to close following another flooding incident, on that occasion a sea-water flooding caused by high tides and strong winds.

This time the main corridor, the chapel garden, school offices, downstairs classrooms, the school hall, toilets and kitchen were all affected.

Head teacher Andrew Cafferkey said: “When you hear that the school is flooded it sounds catastrophic but it wasn’t as bad as that.

“Having said that, because there were two or three inches of water in most of the ground floor areas, we had no choice but to close the school.

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“At the moment any damage appears to be superficial but we will have to look at things more closely to get a better idea.

“The carpets are sodden, we are squelching as we walk, and the skirting boards are blown.

“We have no idea at this stage about the cost of the damage but we will be in touch with our insurance company about it.”

Mr Cafferkey said he expected the school to open on Friday and he believed at least four of the five year groups would be able to come in.

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He added “I hoping we can get the whole of the school in and I would advise parents visit out website to keep in touch with developments.”

Elsewhere on the Fylde coast, Moor Park Primary School and Anchorholme Academy have also been forced to close today.

Moor Park posted a message on Twitter to say there was no heating or water.

Parents at both schools have similarly been advised to monitor the schools’ respective websites and Facebook sites.