A primary school in Rochester has been forced to close today (October 17) after a large sinkhole appeared outside its gates, caused by a burst water main. St Margaret’s at Troy Town School, located on King Street, has been shut down for safety reasons while emergency repairs are carried out.

Pictures from the scene show water gushing from the sinkhole and flooding the street, leading authorities to cordon off the area. The school informed parents early this morning, advising them not to bring their children in as the site was deemed “unsafe.

Elisha George, a local mother of two, was on her way to drop off her children, aged five and eight, at the school’s breakfast club when she received the message about the closure. She shared her concerns, stating, “I understand the school is closed as it’s not safe with the sinkhole right by the school gates.”

Parents received a message from the school, which read:
“Unfortunately, directly outside of school on King Street, there is a burst water main and sinkhole. King Street is not safe for children and families to access the school site.”

Southern Water has reportedly turned off the water supply to the school site while repairs to the road are underway. There is no confirmed timeline for when the school will reopen, as crews work to address the damage.

The incident has caused disruption for families in the area, with further updates expected once the road is repaired and the site is deemed safe for students and staff.