Heating breakdowns force schools to close

Schools closed today as heating and toilets broke down in another day of chaos caused by the weather.

Health bosses reported huge demand at walk-in health centres because of people with colds or having fallen as temperatures fell to -12C (10F).

Wolverhampton's Tettenhall Wood School was shut by problems with the toilets.

City council spokesman Paul Brown said: "The machine they need to use to fix the problem cannot work in the temperatures we've been experiencing.

"It is hoped that it will be able to operate today and that the school will be open tomorrow."

Millfields Nursery School in Lichfield Road, Bloxwich, was closed today because of heating problems.

The Church of England Primary School of St Edmund and St John in Dudley was also closed today due to heating difficulties, while the Dormston School in Sedgley was opening for years eight and 10 from 8.45am-12.35pm only.

Hillcrest School and Community College in Netherton was shut and engineers were working on the heating.

Netherbrook Primary School was closed because of an electricity problem.

The Dell Stadium in Brierley Hill was shut because pitches were frozen.

The walk-in health centre in Dudley has been "extremely busy" over the last few days, health chiefs said.

The onset of colds and people falling on ice has led to a surge in people using the facility at Holly Hall.

Sarah Dugan, chief executive of NHS Dudley, said: "Winter is always a busier period for the NHS but over the past week with the freezing conditions our services are seeing an increase in people needing care.

"Our walk-in-centre has experienced a very busy weekend with people suffering from the effects of colds but also those with minor injuries from falls.

"Older people and those who suffer from chronic illnesses are especially vulnerable."

Calls to home emergency experts HomeServe are "snowballing" in Walsall this November as a result of the severe weather.