Brockenhurst Village Hall became an emergency overnight evacuation shelter for more than 150, Year 7 Hampshire school children on a residential stay at Tile Barn Outdoor Centre in Brockenhurst.

Early evening thunderstorms had unsettled some of the children who were due to spend the night under canvas. The threat of further violent thunderstorms led to a late phone call to the Village Hall, as part of an emergency planning agreement with Hampshire County Council.

The children, from Cowplain school in Waterlooville Hampshire, were shuttled by minibus the mile to the village hall, where they spent the night.

Sarah, Operations Manager, said: “As a community hub, it was a privilege to provide shelter at such short notice, and ensure a safe, dry and warm environment for the children to spend the night. The children coped amazingly well given this was the first week at a new school and were a credit to their parents and teachers”