A SMALL group of parents and pupils have saved a shabby corridor linking a Swindon school's two main blocks from demolition.

The group gave 30 hours of their own time to blitzing the weatherproof walkway between the maths and language departments at Dorcan Technology College in Covingham.

Volunteers used a powerful pressure washer and several coats of new paint to make the walkway spick-and-span.

Parent Gina Musty said: "We had been told the council had no funding for cleaning up and redecorating the corridor and that it was being recommended for demolition."

One of the worst parts of blitzing the walkway, Gina added, was removing old chewing gum from the floor with the pressure washer. After the gum was dislodged during the revamp it ricocheted "like bullets".

She estimated the value of the group's voluntary work in labour costs alone at more than £1,000.

"We couldn't have done it without the people, including Focus Do It All, who gave us more than 30 litres of paint, 15 tubes of silicone filler and other materials, or builder Kevin Legg who lent us the pressure washer, hose and electric cable.

"Kevin, who is a Covingham parish councillor, doesn't even have children at the school. He just offered us the use of the equipment."

The working party included Gina and her daughter Amelia, Gill and Chris Hanley and their 16-year-old daughter Sarah, Paul Stokes, 16, Ken and Sue Lofts and 14-year-old Anthony Eagle.

"It has been hard work we were there from 9am until 10pm one day but well worth it," Gina added.

Her 11-year-old twins Angela and Amanda will start at the school in September.

Mr Short said the corridor, a fibreglass construction, was added to the school by the governors and is therefore not part of the borough's maintenance responsibility.

"We were able to supply some reclaimed paint," he said. "The parents and pupils have done a good job and the structure is now likely to have a few years of life which it possibly wouldn't have had otherwise."