Two Hampshire schools shut by floodwater

Unsuccessful efforts were made over the weekend to keep the Fordingbridge Junior School open

Two schools in Hampshire have been forced to close after being surrounded by floodwater.

Staff, parents and residents had battled over the weekend in a bid to get Fordingbridge Junior School ready for the start of the new week.

Although their efforts were not enough to see the school fit to open, they prevented water from getting inside.

St Bede Primary School in Winchester has also been forced to close and will not reopen until at least Wednesday.

A number of flood alerts and warnings remain in place across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

About 70 of the county's firefighters have been helping communities deal with flooding, especially those affected in Winchester and Romsey.

They have helped fill and deploy hundreds of sandbags as well as assisting the Environment Agency.

Water has surrounded Fordingbridge Junior School

Governors do not yet know when the school in Fordingbridge will be able to reopen