Crumbling concrete found in schools probe

At least three schools in Greater Manchester have been confirmed to contain safety-risk material

- TODD FITZGERALD

DANGEROUS crumbling concrete has been found at an east Manchester school. It is hoped most of All Saints C of E primary in Newton Heath will remain open, with only the assembly hall thought to be affected.

The Culcheth Lane school is one of at least three in Manchester Greater confirmed to have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

More are being investigated, with leaders still piecing together a full picture across the region.

'Mitigating measures' are being put in place at Sale Grammar, on Marsland Road in Sale, and Altrincham College, on Green Lane in Timperley, ahead of the new term next week. Trafford council said RAAC had been confirmed at the academy-run schools.

Manchester Central MP and shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell said children's education will be 'damaged' at All Saints, which is in her constituency. She said it showed 'real incompetence' the problem had only been raised days before the start of the new term.