STAFF have been left 'heartbroken' after an outdoor play area at a primary school was destroyed by Storm Eunice.

The headteacher at St Andrew's CE Primary School on Littlemoor Road in Weymouth said she was grateful there were no pupils in school during the storm as she feared it could have been 'deadly'.

Storm Eunice brought 90mph winds to Dorset last week, tearing down trees, blowing vehicles off roads, ripping off roofs, blocking highways and railways, and plunging communities into darkness.

The high winds caused damage to a covered outdoor play area for Reception pupils at the primary school, blowing over the fencing and causing the roof panels to lift off the structure and collapse in.

Like other schools across Dorset, St Andrew's was closed on Friday for safety reasons as the storm blew in.

Headteacher Sam Harris said the outdoor structure cost £12,000 and was only installed in October 2020. Worried about the potential cost of repairs and making the area safe, she has considered starting a Crowdfunder to raise funds to fix the damage.

She said: "The outdoor area is currently unusable and the panels are blocking access in and out of the Reception classrooms.

"My site manager went to inspect for damage after the high winds on Friday morning and discovered the damage. As there was still stormy weather, we couldn't do much until Monday. We are relieved no one was in school at the time as it could've been deadly.

"On Monday we realised that the roof panels were too large and heavy for us to manoeuvre, despite some staff offering to help, and so have sought the services of local building contractors to help move it and rented a skip."

Mrs Harris added: "We are all heartbroken by the damage as the structure was only installed in October 2020 and has allowed the Reception children much more freedom to use the outdoor area daily as part of their learning. We are working on making the site safe by the end of half term.

"It won't be back to its original state for a while so we will have to think creatively as to how the children can still get to use the outdoor space as part of their Early Years curriculum.

"We have loss adjusters visiting the school, but I fear that as a school we will face needing to pay some of the cost of making the site safe and repairs. We are currently looking into setting up a Crowdfunder to help pay for the costs."