All options to be considered for oil leak Gartly school's future

All options are to be considered for the future of an Aberdeenshire school shut for more than two years amid work to deal with an oil leak.

Pupils from Gartly School were moved to another school after the incident in December 2018.

Some children were said to have been left feeling ill after the leak and resulting strong smell.

Aberdeenshire Council's education and children's services committee agreed on a full options appraisal.

Reinstating the building would cost another £850,000, on top of £450,000 already spent, or it could close.

It is hoped a report could be available by June.

• Oil leak primary school 'may not reopen'

• School closed for months after oil leak

The school - which opened in 1962 and was then extended in 1970 - closed on 17 December 2018 due to what was described as a "heating problem".

The leak of heating oil caused contamination.

The Gartly pupils were moved to Kennethmont School, but later moved to Rhynie School, about four miles away. The nursery at the school near Huntly also relocated to Rhynie.

Gartly's official school roll has fallen from 36 to eight in the meantime.

More than £450,000 has been spent on remediation work so far with an expected additional £872,000 required to reinstate the building as a school.

Possible options include asking Scottish ministers to allow it to be permanently closed.