SCHOOLS across Hampshire will remain closed today after flooding caused havoc across the county.

Families have been left homeless and schools will today remain closed as storms caused havoc across Hampshire.

At least ten families have been forced into emergency accommodation and nearly 500 primary school children will be out of class until at least Monday while water-damaged houses and schools are repaired. Thornhill Primary School had to shut yesterday when heavy overnight rain caused drains to burst and water to pour into the building.

Durley Primary School will also remain closed today as a huge clean-up operation was under way there too as the flooding has caused severe damage, particularly to their hall.

Headteacher Kirstie Baines told the Daily Echo it was a “very sad sight” at the school as every room was filled with water with the wooden flooring in the hall pushed up by the force of it – meaning the hall will have to be closed until the end of term. 

Mrs Baines said that it was a school parent who awoke at 1am to the sounds of lightning and heavy rainfall and put up flood barriers.

“He is our hero for doing that. 

“Unfortunately it didn’t seem to work as the water got through under the floors and through the air brick. We’ve been through this before not nearly as bad but we can handle it and we will do everything we can to sort this by Monday.”

In July 2013 the school was shut by flooding as it is near a brook.

Thornhill Primary is also a repeat victim of flooding as in September last year head teacher Kerry Stamp had to find £11,000 from the school budget to replace damaged property when water poured down over the raised playground and into the school – just days before the school opened for the academic year.

Ms Stamp said: “It’s the sheer quantity of the rain in such a short space of time. It comes down the slope and through the walls. We’ve had to move the whole library.”

New carpet in the school corridor and four classrooms will have to be replaced yet again, as well as library books, storage units and other essential resources.

Ms Stamp said that although the council reimbursed most of the costs through their insurance, the school had to cover the remaining £3,000. She said: “The council has made a concerted effort to try and stop the problem but work on the drains was finished just last week.”

Although Ms Stamp aims to reopen the school on Monday, teachers will have to be flexible as items have been moved around and the dining area is being used for storage. Some of the children who go to Thornhill Primary have also been moved out of their family homes after the same storms flooded their houses. 

At least two children came up to the school to retrieve their PE kit – as all other shoes were soaked with drain water. 

Nine families, who have already spent four months of the last twelve in temporary accommodation after their homes flooded in August last year, have been moved out of their homes again. 

Residents on Canon Place and Farringford Road were woken up at 2am yesterday morning to inches of water covering the ground floor of their homes. 

Terri Bridges, a school cover supervisor and mum of four said: “There was water pouring through my front door at 2.30 in the morning. The front doors are no good. I couldn’t physically stop it. And since the first time it happened the toilets always bubble up. I’ve spent £1,000 on new flooring and my poor dog was lying in the water. Cigarette butts have come in and it was all dirt over the floor. The blinds are covered in sewage water.

“They moved us out in October and told told us everything had been fixed. But if you came up here you’d see the heartache it’s caused.” 

Barratt Homes spokesman said the houses were a First Wessex scheme and the problem was due to flooded drains which were offsite, causing water to run down downhill. First Wessex said: “The flood started after a significant amount of rainfall in the local area. An abnormal amount of rain water ran down a neighbouring bank of land into nine properties. The residents affected have been reimbursed for any immediate loss and provided with local hotel accommodation whilst an extensive clear up, thorough electrical tests and building maintenance checks take place.

“We would like to thank all those affected for their patience and co-operation during this difficult time. Our main concern was, and is always, the safety and wellbeing of our residents.

The spokesman added that as a similar incident happened last August they would be looking “in detail” at how to reduce the chances of it happening again.

A spokesman for Southampton City Council said housing repair staff attended the property at Farringford Road to remove water and assess damage.

ouncil officers were also working closely, said the spokesman, with Thornhill school and are currently on site to investigate further and assist with the clean-up.