Primary school shut as toilet pipe flooding leaves 'unbearable smell'
"Half the school looks like a hurricane has gone through it."
More than £1,000 has been raised in less than a day after flooding caused major damage and forced a primary school to shut in Walsall.
Flooring had to be ripped up at St Peter's Catholic Primary School in Bloxwich after a leaking toilet pipe caused water damage.
Parents at the school set up a JustGiving page yesterday and by this afternoon it had raised £1,055 towards its £1,500 target.
The fundraising page says: "Over the weekend St Peter's Catholic Primary School had a leak which has lead to extensive damaged to most of this beautiful primary school.
"Every room has been impacted by the flood. Carpets are ruined, doors need replacing, the school needs a new floor for its hall and that's just the tip of it.
"It's devastating and our poor children are missing their education as the school is unsafe. Please help support your local school."
'Unbearable smell'
Parent Lucy Adams, mother to Lily, eight, and Macy, three, said parents received a text about the closure on Monday morning and that staff think the leak must have started on Friday night.
She said: "I was shown a picture of the leak and it's only about the size of a 50p, but the majority of the school has been ruined.
"The insurance will probably cover most but I thought it would be nice to raise money for books and displays."
Mrs Adams visited the school and posted online to say the smell was "unbearable" and the water had even damaged the walls.
She said: "After a phone call from the head and deputy head inviting me to go in and look at the damage all I can say is I'm upset and shocked!
"You think of a leak, this was more of a flood. Half the school looks like a hurricane has gone through it.
"The smell is unbearable and I struggled to breathe in there. The water has gone everywhere, all the doors, carpets, school hall and classrooms need repairing or replacing.
"The water has even damaged the walls and this is just what they have managed to assess so far.
"I was deeply saddened and upset to hear that the school head and deputy have received a phone call from a parent shouting and abusing them, saying they should reopen.
"It's not safe for our children or staff to enter that building. Please show some support to the staff who are working to get our kids beautiful school up and running."
A spokeswoman for Walsall Council said: "The water damage was caused by a defective flexi-pipe in a toilets area and has caused extensive damage."
To donate to the school's appeal, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpstpetersschool
