Bolton pupils move into new home after school burnt down

The roof of SS Simon and Jude's in Great Lever and ten classrooms were ravaged by the fire

Hundreds of pupils who were forced out of classrooms after their old school was devastated by a fire have returned to a new home.

SS Simon and Jude's primary school in the Great Lever suburb of Bolton was wrecked by the blaze, which took 17 fire engines to tackle, in August.

Students have now been welcomed back to mobile classrooms, set up in a field next to the ruins of their old school.

School principal Katie Jones said she was "thrilled" to see them return.

About 400 pupils have been taught at three separate sites since the fire, but have returned to a newly-constructed "educational village" by their old home on Newport Road.

"We are thrilled to see our school community back together on one school site," Ms Jones told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Construction of the temporary village began soon after the fire and received government support

Work will now start on rebuilding the original school at the same site in due course, a Bolton Council spokesman said.

Cabinet member for children's services, Councillor Martin Donaghy said the authority understood parent concerns after the "shocking" fire, and said the school will be supported during the rebuild of its original home.