CALLS have been made to preserve a network of Second World War tunnels found at a Southend primary school.

The Echo told last week how builders working on an extension at St Mary’s Prittlewell Church of England Primary School, in Boston Avenue, Southend, had uncovered the tunnels.

They were found by workmen carrying out excavations as part of plans to createmore space at the school to accommodate more reception pupils.

The 6ft wide, 9ft deep, reinforced concrete tunnels run as long as 40ft beyond where the two new classrooms are being built.

They link up with an underground shelter under the playing field.

It is thought a number of schools in the south east of the country would have had air raid shelters built near them during the war.

Julian Ware-Lane, Labour councillor for Milton ward in Southend, said: “St Mary’s Church of England Primary School is not in my ward but is history, especially that which was recently unearthed below ground level, belongs to all of us.

“We need to know whether there is any way that at least some of the tunnels can be preserved.

“It seems such a waste to destroy something which is a part of our history.”

Council bosses have tried to strike a balance between preserving as much of the tunnels as possible while ensuring work on the new classrooms goes ahead.

One class will provide an extra 30 spaces from this September, while the second will house a further 30 pupils from next year.

Sue Hadley, head of children’s services at Southend Council, said: “These wartime air raid shelter tunnels were discovered when contractors began digging the footings for a temporary building to be installed at St Mary’s School.

“As little as possible of the area, only that immediately beneath the temporary buildings, has had to be filled in to ensure that they have a stable footing.

“This has only affected a small section and the rest of the tunnels remain untouched.

“During the Second World War, air raid shelters of this kind were regularly built under large school playing fields and tend to be rediscovered during building works.”