THEY had been warned to come to class armed with their wellies and they were very glad they did.

Having been forced to close on Monday due to surrounding flood water, Fordingbridge Junior School was back in action yesterday after the water levels subsided.

But today the flooding became too much again and school bosses were forced to close again.

Daily Echo:

But by lunchtime teachers couldn’t believe their eyes when the water returned, submerging the car park, playground and front gates.

Texts were quickly sent out to parents, saying that children could be picked up from 2pm, but while causing a nightmare for parents and teachers, the pupils loved splashing around in the puddles.

Mandy Ovenden, deputy head of the school, which is closed today, said: “The children have been very excitable but we have tried to carry on as normal where possible.”

Pupils at The Pilgrims’ School in Cathedral Close, Winchester, also made the most of the flood water, which had filled their school hall.

Daily Echo:

Lucy Brown, head of pre-prep, said: “The children are just terribly excited by the whole thing. It’s limited our play space but it’s business as usual as we have an all-weather playground.”

At St Bede School, Winchester, chairman of governors Dominic Hiscock insisted that the problems with the toilets that had closed the school could not have been foreseen when the school was rebuilt and raised 2ft in 2000.

He said: “The blame lies with the weather, and not with anybody else.”