A HAMPSHIRE school has been forced to close after a burst pipe knocked out the heating system.

With temperatures plummeting, temporary heaters were moved to Toynbee Secondary School in Body-coats Road, Chandler's Ford.

But it was still not warm enough, and headmaster David Jones took the decision to close the school which has 1,048 pupils.

Locating the damaged pipe, which runs into the boiler, has proved to be a major headache.

Workmen have to dig up the dining room floor as the search goes on to pinpoint the problem.

The school is not expected to re-open until next Tuesday at the earliest. But a return date depends on problems encountered by workmen.

A county council spokesman said they were doing all they could to get heating supplies and the school back in action.

Mr Jones said: "The temperature had dropped to an unacceptable level which had made it uncomfortable for pupils and staff."

By closing the school they were also able to speed up the repair work. The noise while the work was being carried out would also have been horrendous.

"We are cracking on as fast as we possibly can," added Mr Jones.