Builders uncover world war ii air raid shelter under school playground

Builders working at a school had to stop what they were doing after making a discovery under the playground. Brims Construction started work at Oxbridge Lane Primary School, in Stockton, as

part of an ongoing sitewide refurbishment project. But when workers were getting ready to connect some pipework under the playground, they found the concrete top of a structure. Once they

started digging further, with the hope of getting to the bottom of what they found, they realised they were uncovering a World War II-era air raid shelter. Jason Harrison, site manager from

Brims Construction, said: “This is the first time I’ve found anything like this. We didn’t know it was there. “We were getting ready to connect some pipework, and we uncovered the concrete

top. As we excavated down a bit, we could see that it was a sort of bell shape, and we realised it was probably an old air raid shelter.” Jason described the bunker as measuring

approximately 24 feet long, and thinks it is likely a Stanton Air Raid Shelter, based on its distinctive arch shape. These were mass-produced during the war by the Stanton Ironworks Company,

near Nottingham. The Oxbridge Lane shelter may well have even seen use, as Stockton was bombed several times during the Blitz as part of wider attacks on Teesside. The region presented an

attractive target to the Luftwaffe due to its valuable industrial targets, including Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) at Billingham, the Middlesbrough docks and shipyards, and the Teesside

steelworks. The discovery caused great excitement throughout the school, which is part of the Prince Regent Street Trust. Year 6 pupils were particularly fascinated because they have been

studying the Second World War in History lessons. Skyler Silva, 11, said: “It was exciting to learn we had an air raid shelter under the playground, but I wasn’t very surprised. Our school

is quite old, but I didn’t expect it to be so well-preserved. “It looks just like one of the shelters we saw when we visited Eden Camp Museum. My great-nana and great-grandad were alive

during the war, but they didn’t have a shelter – they used to hide under the kitchen table! “We learned that boys and girls would often have separate shelters, and I think it might be the

boys’ one, because there is an old sign on a wall nearby that says ‘Boys’.” Jason and school staff agree, and suspect there may be a second shelter hidden somewhere under the school. Head

teacher Lauren Amerigo said: “This has been an incredible discovery that brings history to life right beneath our feet. The children are absolutely fascinated. “It’s been a powerful reminder

of the lives lived here before us, and we’re excited to explore how we can use the shelter’s history to support their our pupils’ learning even further.” At 82-years-old, Harry Smith, chair

of trustees, remembers seeing similar shelters in his youth. “It really takes me back to my childhood,” he said. “This has been a very exciting start to the school week!” JOIN TEESSIDE

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