Fire-struck school to remain closed for the week

A Shropshire school that was hit by a serious fire will remain closed for the rest of the week.

Five crews were called to St Martins School, near Oswestry, at about 17:15 BST on Sunday after flames and smoke were reported coming from the school hall.

A message from headteacher Alison Pope on Tuesday said while the main damage was to the arts centre, diner and surrounding areas, utilities including water, electrics and fire alarm systems had been damaged in the rest of the school.

She added that the school would be shut on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and she was not in a position to give a reopening date.

The school's open day and evening on Thursday was also cancelled.

Ms Pope said the school had some asbestos but there was none in the areas affected by the fire, which had been confirmed by both the fire service and an external assessor.

Pupils will continue with remote learning, and she said the school was working towards alternatives for next week, and the phased return of pupils was dependent on securing contractors.

"Thank you again for your continued support. I do appreciate that this is a difficult situation for everyone," she added.

On Monday, a message to parents from Ms Pope was posted by Ellesmere Fire Station on Facebook.

It said: "Initial information indicates the fire may be linked to our solar panels. It is not believed at this time that the fire was deliberate."

However, a cause has not yet been confirmed by the fire service.

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