A PRIMARY school has had to relocate due to the Winter Hill fire.

Pupils at Rivington Foundation Primary School on Horrobin Lane have been at Albany Academy in Chorley since last Thursday due to fears regarding smoke from the moorland blaze. Headteacher, Mrs Sarah Annette said: “We took advice from the county council and from the fire service. It was a health and safety issue.”

Prior to the move, the school had been forced to close for the first three days of last week.

Mrs Annette said: “As Rivington Foundation Primary School is quite remote, most of our children are driven to school anyway so there wasn’t too much difficulty in them being transported the three miles to Albany Academy instead.

“We have wonderful parents who are fantastically supportive and Albany Academy has been very welcoming and accommodating.”

Due to Year 11 pupils having left the school, there are sufficient empty classrooms for the Rivington pupils to use.

Mrs Annette said: “There has been no real disruption. The children are still having fun and alternative arrangements have been made for us to hold our planned end-of-term productions and activities at Albany, should we need to.”

She added: “All the staff have been outstanding but we hope to be back at Rivington Foundation Primary School soon – we are all missing our home!”

A total of 36 crews from London Fire have now returned to their service after being drafted in to help tackle the blaze.

At present there are 14 fire engines on the scene - 10 from Lancashire and four from Greater Manchester.