THREE East Lancashire primary schools will be closed today as a massive clear-up effort continues to get the buildings in working order for pupils.

Springfield Primary School, Earby; Marsden Community Primary School, Nelson; and St Saviours Community Primary School, Bacup, have notified Lancashire County Council that they could not open due to flooding, heating and electric problems caused by freezing temperatures, snow and the thaw.

At Springfield, classrooms had been left without floors and ceilings, and part of the boiler system burnt out then the electrics went out and the pipes froze.

The school was left in five inches of water and staff and contractors have worked every day bar Christmas day and New Year’s Day to clear the water and repair the school.

Marsden Community Primary head Gemma Whaling said her site manager called her on December 28 when the water tank, which holds hundreds of gallons of water, leaked like a ‘torrent’ after the pipes froze.

The school’s kitchen and three offices were ankle deep in water.