Work under way to stop Cheltenham school flooding

Work is under way to stop a low-lying Gloucestershire school from flooding.

Swindon Village Primary School in Cheltenham was badly affected during some of the heaviest flooding in living memory in the county in July 2007.

The former government awarded nine schools in the county funds to ensure they are protected in future.

The county council, which is leading the project, said the work will be completed in time for the new term.

The school was flooded three years ago when water from a park across the road poured through the grounds, building up in the corner of a playing field.

Project manager Paul Wakeman, from the council, said: "We've designed a sustainable drainage scheme that can cope with the one in 100 year flood as well as the normal flooding that happens on one part of the field."

The £250,000 work is being funded by a grant from the former Department for Children, Schools and Families.

A council spokesman said work to alleviate flooding at other schools in Gloucestershire would be starting in the coming months.