School and fire service issue statements after devastating blaze leaves primary school in ruins

An education trust has issued a statement after a huge blaze ripped through a primary school in Bolton, leaving parents 'heartbroken' and 'in tears'.

Clouds of thick smoke billowed from the roof of SS Simon and Jude CE Primary School, in Great Lever as a crowd of people gathered behind a police cordon watching on in horror.

Ten fire crews raced to the scene of the primary school at around 8.30am on Thursday (August 17) following reports that the roof had caught fire. At the height of the blaze, 17 fire engines were in attendance, GMFRS said tonight.

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Dramatic drone from the major scene on Newport Road showed the scale of the inferno, with huge plumes of thick black smoke billowing out into the sky that could be seen for miles. Several surrounding streets were cordoned off for a number of hours with locals urged to stay away.

The major fire comes amid the school holidays, with devastated parents wondering what will happen to its pupils come September when term starts again. The school trust has said that parents will be contacted with further updates as they thanked fire crews for their work at the scene.

“I’m gutted,” one woman told the M.E.N as she held back tears. “What about all them kids? I’ve lived here a long time and that school has always been here.”

One parent whose son is due to start in year six next month, said they were ‘heartbroken’. “It’s his last year and they’ve got their SATs," she said. "We don’t know what’s going to happen now.”

It's understood there were people inside the school at the time but there are no reports of any injuries and that the classrooms may have escaped damage by fire but have been left badly charred by