SCORES of children have had their holiday extended today after their first day back to school was postponed.Two schools in Suffolk were unable to open to all their pupils today after workmen drilled through a water pipe at Bacton Primary School and building work took longer than expected at Stowupland High School.

SCORES of children have had their holiday extended today after their first day back to school was postponed.

Two schools in Suffolk were unable to open to all their pupils today after workmen drilled through a water pipe at Bacton Primary School and building work took longer than expected at Stowupland High School.

At the Bacton school, workmen who were called in to check the site for contamination after a toilet block was vandalised in June, accidentally drilled through a water pipe.

Anglia Water must now carry out extensive tests to ensure that the water supply is safe to use.

Headteacher, Jo Lundy, said the school will not be able to open until Thursday at the latest.

She said: “I'm really disappointed, I'm disappointed for the children, especially those starting school for their first day and for the staff who have worked incredibly hard over the past six weeks to get their class rooms ready.

“And, all of this is down to one act of vandalism in June.”

A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said: “When something extraordinary happens like drilling through a water main then of course you can't anticipate that sort of thing so it's very unfortunate.

“Obviously everything has been done to get the children back to school as quickly as possible.”

Major building work that has taken longer than expected will mean Stowupland High School, in Church Road, Stowupland, Stowmarket, will be unable to open to all its pupils until Thursday.

A new food technology and maths block has been built at the school over the summer holidays but the carpets have not yet been delivered.

A spokeswoman for the school said: “It's only one day, if schools have building work done it all has to be done over the six weeks holidays.”

The year nine students who are enrolling at the school for the first time today have started as planned in order to minimise disruption.

Bardwell Primary School in Bury St Edmunds will be opening today as planned despite a 74 ton crane toppling over in a school playground on Saturday,narrowly missing several homes and a school building.

Have you been affected by the delay? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.