Bourn school transforms bus into library in memory of pupil

Lyla was a "happy, smiley little girl who loved unicorns and dancing", Bourn Primary Academy's head teacher said

A double decker bus has been transformed into a school's library in memory of a five-year-old pupil.

Lyla Blue Glennen was in Year 1 at Bourn Primary Academy in Cambridgeshire when she died from a brain haemorrhage in 2021.

"We really wanted something to remember her by and this project seemed to be the perfect thing to do," said head teacher Laura Latham.

Pupils will be able to use the bus library when the school year begins.

Books were donated from around the world and Ms Latham said the children "cannot wait" to choose from the "amazing books" it has.

The school's head teacher said it would be "brilliant" if the bus makes children "love reading even more"

The idea for the project came from Lyla's teacher Judith Balls, who was frustrated the school only had a small non-fiction area in a corridor, rather than a library room.

Ms Balls convinced a local bus company to donate a former London bus, and the school and local community got to work transforming it.

"It was a huge privilege for me to have Lyla in my class and we missed her terribly when she died, but I know she'd be really happy that we've done this," she said.

The traditional red bus has had its wheels removed

Lyla's mum said she "loved being in a world of imagination and learning new things", and she used to quote parts of her favourite books

Simone Glennen, Lyla's mum, contributed design ideas for the bus and helped clean and paint it.

She said the bus library "meant the world" to the family.

"This is the cherry on top of all the things the school has done to help us," she said.

Lyla's younger brother, Heath, is about to start reception year at the school.

Ms Glennen said the bus library meant he could "always have a part of his sister at school with him".

The bus has been fitted out with shelves and books in time for the start of the new school year

Lyla's teacher Judith Balls said "I know she'd be really happy that we've done this"