Southam
Plea from fire hit children's club

A CHILDREN'S club in Southam is appealing for urgent help after fire devastated their home at St Mary's Primary School.

The blaze hit the large mobile building on the site of the Daventry Road school in the early hours of Friday morning (January 6).

Firefighters spent several hours tackling it, successfully preventing it spreading to the main school building, but our pictures show the scale of the destruction caused to the home of St Mary's Children's Club.

The after-school group, which catered for 20 children aged three to 11 on a daily basis, housed a quiet room with sofas and a library, a large play room for arts and crafts and games and a dining area plus a canteen, kitchen and toilets.

Now the self-funding club, which employs three trained staff supported by volunteer mothers and local residents, is having to start all over again.

Chairwoman Kim Bendzak told the Observer: “It is a real tragedy. Most of the stock had been donated to us, everything from board games and Wii computer console to a microwave and a kettle.

“We are now based in the school hall but we urgently need cash if we are to start again on the site and rebuild the centre.

“There has been lots of wonderful support already, with toys and books donated, but we need major financial help if we are to recover.”

Friday's blaze, the causes of which are still being investigated, broke out just before 2.30am.

A total of four fire engines were sent to the site and the nearby home of Victoria Wakefield and her son had to be evacuated.

She said: "It went up so quick I could feel the heat from my son's room I had a fireman banging on the door telling me to get out."

The main school opened as normal on the day.

To support the children's centre call Kim on 07921 359507.

Buy photos» A chared fire engine sits on a table in the burnt out classroom. Picture by Jon Mullis 02.012.004.leam.jm1 Buy photos» The inside of the fire ravaged school building. Picture by Jon Mullis. 02.012.004.leam.jm7 Flames rip through the large mobile classroom at St Mary's School in Southam. Picture by Victoria Wakefield. (s)