DETERMINED staff battled through floods to prepare for design technology week at Fordingbridge Junior School - despite the school being closed because of flooding and having no electricity.

The water is not yet in the school, and staff are waiting to be able to switch the boiler back on.

Headteacher Kim Robertson says she would like to say a huge thank you to the local community for their overwhelming response to the flooding.

She said: "Within minutes of our call for help, parents, governors, staff and local residents were on site armed with sandbags and machinery.

"Local bakery Cottage Loaf kept everyone fed during the day while floods were held back from entering the buildings and parents stayed on site during Saturday night. This really was all hands to the pumps and I can't thank you enough."