Children were sent home from school just three days after going back from the summer holidays because of a burst water main.

Staff at Minster Primary School, in Brecon Chase, Sheppey, made the decision to close today after a nearby leak threatened to affect water supplies.

Parents were asked to collect their children shortly after 9am and staff posted a Facebook message just before 10am.

The school, which has 540 pupils, only reopened on Tuesday.

Residents at a nearby care home were also warned that supplies might be affected and were provided with emergency bottles of water.

The main burst near the school in Minster Road, Minster, this morning. Water was seen gushing out from beneath a pavement.

Three-way temporary traffic lights were installed in Minster Road at its junction with Bellevue Road.

Minster Road was closed completely for 150m this afternoon as contractors brought in a bigger digger and diversions were put in place.

The road was expected to be reopened later. Bus operators were informed.

Southern Water spokesman Simon Fluendy said this morning: “Our team is on site and has begun the repair work on the burst 4in water main at Minster Road, Sheppey.

"At the moment, no properties are without water but we have alerted 17 properties - including the Minster in Sheppey Primary School and a nearby care home - their water supply will unfortunately be affected at some point during the emergency repair.

"We will, however, be providing the care home with bottled water.

"We understand the school has taken the decision to close and we'd like to apologise to the staff, pupils and parents for the disruption this burst has caused.

"Unfortunately, we will need to close the road while the work takes place and we apologise to all affected motorists, as well as to any nearby residents who experience low water pressure as a result of the burst.

"We'd like to reassure everyone that we are working as quickly as possible on this emergency repair.”

A 10in main at the same place bust in July last year.

Read more: All the latest news from the Sheerness

News from our universities, local primary and secondary schools including Ofsted inspections and league tables can be found here.