Southampton pre-school hit by flooding left 'devastated'

Stagnant water filled the playrooms at Harefield Community Pre-School - with furniture, books, and toys covered in mould.

The charity-run school in Yeovil Chase now faces the prospect of not opening until October.

The flooded pre-school (Image: Harefield Community Pre-School)

This could have a detrimental effect on its finances and the families of the children who attend.

Manager Tina Ford said the flood has been ‘absolutely devastating’.

She said: “It was awful, and what I walked into was devastating.

“Before we broke up for the summer holiday, we invested in new rugs, toys, and more. It looked immaculate.

“The school was all set up for the new term, and it was heartbreaking to see it.

“It was absolutely devastating for me and the whole team.

“We have been working together since we opened 21 years ago, so we are a close team.

“We have never had anything like this happen before.”

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A burst pipe under a sink caused the flood, Tina said.

Neither Tina nor her colleagues were aware of the incident until August 30 when the neighbouring pre-school told Southampton City Council that water was leaking into its property.

Tina said: "It could’ve been a few days water was leaking out, we don’t know."

The pre-school was due to reopen to children today following the summer holiday.

But now the charity has been left with a £20,000 bill and staff have no idea when they can reopen.

Tina said: “The pipe spurted warm water out, creating condensation which caused the mould.

“I couldn’t believe all the water came from that area, given the sheer size of the pre-school, but there was a lot.”

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Tina's main concern is losing children to another pre-school.

She said: “Working parents might not be able to wait three to four weeks for childcare and may go somewhere else.

“It’s really hard for us to predict what parents will do, but I don’t blame them if they go somewhere else.

“We are keeping them updated weekly.”

She added: “I don’t know how long we are going to be closed.

“We are waiting for the loss adjuster from Southampton City Council to look at the nursery.

“As soon as we know what is going on, we can make plans to open.

“It all depends on getting the fire doors refitted, treating the black mould, and replacing carpets.

“There is over £20,000 worth of damage – and that’s just the contents.

“My joint manager Louise Kent has been a great help through all this, and we have received support from the council.”