• School will not return to normal into well into the new year

• Christmas Nativity plays went on as usual despite flood damage

• Some classes have been transferred to Ivanhoe College

• School raised money towards fire service for their work in rescuing children and adults

Ashby Willesley Primary School is still recovering from the floods that hit in November.

It could be February or March before the school is operating fully again with work being carried out over the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Children and adults had to be rescued by fire crews where the school was surrounded by flood water on November 14.

Adults and children had to be rescued from a primary school in Ashby after it was surrounded by flood water.

But although pupils were able to return to classes, the effects of the damage are still being felt.

Head of School Chloe Dilks Explained: "We get a lot of people asking us if we're back in now.

"But we're a long way off. We had to strip everything out and there was a two week drying process. People don't realise how bad it is still, we have furniture stacked up all around the school. The impact has been massive.

"The water had never ever come into the school before. It flooded our hall and the library had to go but the books were okay.

"We've had to get rid of some furniture but anything on castors or wheels was saved and sanitised by a local company. Then it was put into storage.

"But we had the skirting boards removed and walls had to be dried out. The floors also had to be redone but they're doing it in phases.

"We have four classrooms, the staff room, the library area and entrance hall all being done."

She added the work is not likely to be completed until the new year and said: "Hopefully, after the Christmas holidays we will have our foundation space back in and one of the classrooms.

"But it only a rough estimate. I wouldn't like to say but work will continue literally through the whole of Christmas.

"I would say it'll be February or March at least before it's as it was. Our year sixes are being educated up at Ivanhoe College. We had a couple of weeks where we had 60 children in one classroom. But Ivanhoe has been brilliant."

However, the disruption has not stopped the pupils celebrating Christmas.

"We've carried on with the Nativities and Christmas plays as much as we can," added Chloe.

"The preparations were hindered as we didn't have a hall. We were able to practice at Holy Trinity though. We've scaled things down but community has been excellent and helped as much as they can.

"At the time, the fire service were incredible. They pumped the car park out before coming back to deal with the building.

"We raised money in a collection and gave it to the Leicestershire Fire Service."