School closes following 'significant' flooding damage

A person weather jeans and a blue coat is walking towards the camera in the rain. Rain is hammering down onto the pavements and people in the background are walking around with umberellas.Image source, Getty Images
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A yellow thunderstorm warning was put in place for parts of the East of England from 11:00 BST until 22:00 on Wednesday

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A middle school has had to close following "relentless" rainfall and "unprecedented" flooding.

Gilbert Inglefield Academy for children aged nine to 13, in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, said it was working to assess the damage and explore remote learning options.

On social media, external, the school, which is for Year 5 to 8, said: "The damage is significant, and the impact on our learning environment is devastating."

The Met Office issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms covering the East of England from 11:00 BST to 20:00 on Wednesday, which also forced the closure of model village in Norfolk and a National Trust estate in Suffolk.

The middle school, which was due to welcome students back on Thursday after the summer holiday, said said it had suffered "extensive flooding".

An emergency closure has been put in place and the school said parents and carers would be informed when it would reopen again.

Outside of Biggleswade Library.Image source, Google
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Biggleswade Library was among businesses in the East of England which announced it would need to close following flooding

Elsewhere in Bedfordshire, hours after it reopened, Biggleswade Library was forced to close due to flooding.

At 12:00 the library said it was able to reopen after flood water had been cleared and the affected area cordoned off.

However, hours later it announced it would need to close again.

On social media, external, it said: "The weather has not been kind to us and the heavy rain this afternoon has resulted in more flooding... we have had to close the library again.

"The library is likely to be closed for the rest of the day and part of tomorrow while we get things sorted."

The rear of Ickworth House - a domes central rotunda with wings on either side. A woman walks with a pushchair towards the house along a gravel path with lawns either side.
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Ickworth includes the stately home, large expanses of woodland, a church, gardens and a pond and the River Linnet runs through estate

Elsewhere in the East of England, attractions have also announced closure due to the weather.

In Suffolk, the National Trust's Ickworth Estate near Bury St Edmunds, said all facilities would be temporarily closed until further notice.

It said on social media, external that flash flooding had caused "significant" damage, but did not expand on whether the listed house was affected or not.

Throughout Wednesday, the Merrivale Model Village, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, was closed due to large areas being flooded, external and unsafe for visitors to walk round.

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