A DOUBLE decker bus has been converted into a library to help primary school pupils on their journey through education.

The new addition to Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead, Stanley, has been made possible thanks to generous donation from the family of a pupil.

The Hobbs family, who are avid readers, relocated from London and eight-year-old Rosie Hobbs is in year three.

Her father is a bus driver and headteacher Laura Liddell hit up the idea of creating an imaginative space where children could read.

The Northern Echo: The bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTThe bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: The bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTThe bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: The bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTThe bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Mrs Liddell said: “I notified staff that I was looking for a bus and my secretary’s husband, who works as a mechanic, said there was one going for sale in Sunderland.

“It was an old school bus and it was in a terrible state.

“But we went to look at it and I thought: ‘yeah, I can do something with this.’

“It got towed back to school because it was barely mobile and then the refurbishments began.”

The Northern Echo: The bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTThe bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo:

The Northern Echo: The bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTThe bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Mrs Liddell said the donation had been made because of the care the school had shown for children during the recent lockdown period.

The work was done a talented team of caretakers and assistant at the school who sourced and decorated the interior and built bookshelves.

Cushions and bean bags have been made and the Durham Spraypainter, Lewis Hobson, has painted tropical trees and birds to give the bus a jungle feel.

Mrs Liddell said: “It is better than I expected. I had a vision but I was not sure how it would finally look.

“I am really impressed and the children and really, really excited about it.

“Now it is just a case of getting the children on board with reading.”

The Northern Echo: The bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTThe bus library at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

---

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054