Fire school moves to animal park

The school hall collapsed about an hour after the fire broke out

More than 200 children left without a school after it was destroyed by fire are to be given temporary accommodation in a nearby wildlife park.

Kent County Council (KCC) estimates it will take about 18 months to rebuild Lympne Church of England School which was gutted in the blaze on Wednesday.

The 230 pupils will be taught for a week at the Mansion House at Port Lympne, starting on Monday.

Governors were meeting parents on Saturday to discuss the way forward.

After the pupils' week at Port Lympne has finished, they are set to move to the empty St Mary's Westbrook School in Folkestone.

The former independent school, in Ravenlea Road, is owned by former Saga boss Roger De Haan's foundation.

Education pledge

Parents were told the news on Friday at a meeting with KCC education bosses, who have pledged to keep the pupils and teachers together until the school is rebuilt.

Area education officer David Adams said St Mary's Westbrook needed some work before the children could move in.

"We need a little bit of time to get it up and running effectively as a school," he said.

"The kind offer from Port Lympne means we can get children back into education quickly.

"We can get the children and staff together and start to process of healing and move on from there in an organised fashion into St Mary's Westbrook."

Kent Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the fire was being investigated but crews at the scene believed it may have started in a light fitting.