School’s E.coli fears addressed

Dozens of parents decided to remove their children from Lawfield Primary School in Mayfield last week after claiming staff had told them that the water in the playground – excess surface water run off from a neighbouring field – may contain E.coli.

Their fears were later confirmed by Midlothian Council, who said tests had revealed “a wide range of bacteria”, including E.coli.

A meeting between the council and the farm manager took place last week to address the issue. In order to help prevent the situation occurring again, the farm manager will ensure that a 12-metre strip of land parallel to the school fence line is left unfarmed, and beyond this, the field parallel to the fence line will be ploughed for a distance of 30 metres.

Midlothian Council will also contact Scottish Water to find out if a new connection to the roads drainage system can be created, allowing the farm manager to connect the field drainage system into it.