Vandals Destroy Primary School Classroom

Heartless vandals have destroyed a primary classroom in Motherwell and left another two unusable after they burst a pipe in the school's rooftop water tank.

The callous act took place on Sunday night at St Bernadette's.

The door was ripped off the tank and the main water pipe which supplies the school was badly damaged.

Water was left to seep through the roof until Monday morning when the janitor arrived, destroying the classroom below and the work the pupils had done this year.

Below the classroom is the school's resource centre which had just taken a delivery of £800 worth of new textbooks. It was also wrecked.

Head teacher Christine Boyle said:

"On Sunday evening the water tower on top of the roof was broken into, it was the main feed from the water tank.

"So, from when it happened on Sunday evening through to yesterday morning when the janitor arrived there was water pouring in down through the classroom, down into the recourse room below and destroying everything inbetween.

"We came in yesterday to find a waterfall running down through our classrooms.

"The extent of the damage is huge. We will need new ceilings and new floors in both classrooms. The resources that were stored there will all need to be replaced.

"But we can't replace all the childrens work that has been ruined."

Since parents were informed of the incident on Monday morning, many have been volunteering to help in whatever way they can.

Katie Lennons' daughter is in P4 at the school. She said: "My wee girl's class is the main class that was affected and she was devastated last night when she got home.

"Obviously, her work has been destroyed so I came along to help as best I can.

"We've been moving resources from one room into another to allow the room to dry out.

"Everything was just sodden wet and the water is still dripping from one room into the other."