WWII bomb shelter uncovered at former school

Contractors at the former St Walburga's school site said the discovery was like "stepping back in time"

A World War Two bomb shelter containing a box of biscuits from the 1940s has been discovered during building work at a former school in Shipley.

Workers made the "incredible" discovery while transforming the St Walburga's school site into a mental health and wellbeing centre.

One of the original school boilers was also in the shelter, as well as the rusty biscuit tin.

James Wood, director of building contractor Whitaker and Leach, said it was like "stepping back in time".

Mr Wood said: “We were aware there was a bomb shelter on site, but the exact location and scale were not known.

"We are experienced in working on sites with various challenges but this shelter has really intrigued everyone working here."

The Cellar Trust, a charity that looks after the school's gardens, said the building had been a "fixture in Shipley for generations" but little was known about its history.

A 1940s biscuit tin was found in the shelter during the renovations

Chief executive Kim Shutler said: "As restoration work progresses, we’re hoping to compile as much information as possible and we’re calling on the community for their recollections and stories.

“We’d love to collate this heritage and we’re committed to preserving the building’s historical integrity while giving it a new lease of life.”

The refurbishment, designed by local architects Rance Booth Smith, will include a new atrium, communal space and gardens for the centre.

Bradford Council said the centre would transform the way mental health and wellbeing services were delivered in Shipley.

The former school's £3m transformation is backed by the government's Towns Fund, a support programme to boost the economies of towns across the UK, as part of its Levelling Up plan.

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