Bohemia Village Voice

St Paul’s School, Horntye Road, was closed for nearly a week in early July due to a lightning strike which damaged the school’s electrical system. All the children were sent home.
When the Village Voice telephoned the school on Wednesday 8th July, we were told by a member of staff “I can’t tell you anything. I’ll have to put you through to the office … (long wait) … I’m sorry but someone will have to ring you back (click)”. No-one did. When we phoned again, there was only an answerphone message: “Thank you for calling St Paul’s Church of England Primary School. The school is closed today, Tuesday 7th July. We are without electricity in parts of the school due to a lightning strike during the storm. The school is therefore unsafe because we have no emergency alarm. We hope to open the school tomorrow, Wednesday 8th July. We will be putting another message on this answerphone later today. Thank you for calling. Bye bye.” PCSO Andy Hubbard told the Voice, “The school will be closed for the rest of the week. All the school’s electrics are shot. There’s a temporary head teacher at the moment; Pat Lock is away.”
The Voice emailed several questions to the school: Q. Was the structure of the building itself damaged? Q. Which part of the school was hit?
Q. How much will the necessary repairs cost?
Q. Were any members of staff or children hurt?
Q. Is the school fitted with a lightning conductor?
At the time of going to press, no replies had been forthcoming. St Paul’s School: 424530.
o According to The Times, on Tuesday the 7th, Hastings suffered the heaviest downpour since records began in 1865 and three months’ rain fell in three hours.