Pupils at an Aberdeen primary school were sent home today after stormy weather damaged the building’s roof.
Milltimber Primary, on Monearn Gardens, shut its doors after a section of tar felt came loose on the roof and threatened to land in the school’s play area.
The felt became stuck in one of the roof’s solar panels when it was spotted by a local resident, Roland MacGill.
He immediately called the school after noticing the section of roof flapping in the wind through his window yesterday morning.
Fearing for the safety of her pupils, Milltimber Primary’s head teacher then made the decision to close the school.
Mr MacGill said: “I called the school at about 10.30 this morning, I don’t think the school really knew anything was happening.
“About three quarters of an hour later four guys appeared on the roof to fix it.”
Kim Ironside had to pick up her son from school when she was told it had closed for the day.
She said: “It’s been a little hectic and a bit of a shock having to come in and take my son away early.
“I think it was just a bit of excitement but there’s no immediate danger to the kids.
“The roof of the school would be quite old, so roll on the new school.”
Nobody was hurt during the incident, and Aberdeen City Council workers have carried out a temporary repair to the roof.
Aberdeen city and shire were issued with a severe weather warning from the Met Office yesterday, and the strong winds were blamed for the incident.
An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “Due to high winds a corner of the school roof had blown upwards and back over onto itself and got lodged in a solar unit.
“It did not fall to the ground. The head teacher took the decision to close the school early as a precautionary measure on health and safety grounds.
“The damaged section of roof has been made safe by building services.”
The school will remain closed on Monday and should reopen on Tuesday morning.