A SUSPECTED gas leak combined with blistering heat saw students of a busy upper school sent home for the afternoon. Sandy Upper School was evacuated on Friday after staff and students reported smelling gas in the main corridor. Gas transporter Transco was

A SUSPECTED gas leak combined with blistering heat saw students of a busy upper school sent home for the afternoon.

Sandy Upper School was evacuated on Friday after staff and students reported smelling gas in the main corridor.

Gas transporter Transco was called but the school was advised that engineers would not be there for over an hour.

As staff and pupils would be left waiting outside in the lunchtime heat, headteacher Marie Baker took the decision to close the school and pupils were sent home at 1pm.

Transco thoroughly examined the school but could find no trace of a gas leak and the school reopened as usual on Monday.

Three exams were going on at the time of the evacuation, two of which were continued in the nearby village hall.

The third, a history GCSE, had to be abandoned. The pupils' results will now be judged on the next paper and their estimated grades.

Mrs Baker was quick to praise everybody involved in the incident and has written to thank people who helped out, including the village hall and a nearby nursery which offered use of its toilets.

She said: "Everybody was tremendous, the students were very cooperative, the staff were supportive.

"It was a very difficult time, it was so hot. The transport people at county hall were tremendous, they got the buses to us as soon as possible.

"I'd like to thank everybody who helped and supported us during what was a very difficult time when very fast decisions had to be made."

The school is now investigating the incident.