A SECONDARY school in Oxford has shut due to a lack of water or very low pressure.

Thames Water engineers are at the scene of a leak in Harcourt Hill, which began earlier today and has affected a number of households in Botley.

Matthew Arnold School has now closed due to the lack of access to water for handwashing.

Anthony Broadley, deputy head at the school, said: "Unfortunately there has been a serious mains water leak in the local vicinity of the school.

"This means that the school currently has no water for handwashing, toilets, drinking.

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"Therefore for health and safety reasons we have taken the decision to close the school with immediate effect.

"Students will need to go home via their usual route home.

"We have arranged for the school buses to collect the students that use this method of home to school transport.

"Parents and carers that normally collect their children from school, need to arrange to do this as soon as possible.

"We will be in touch as soon as possible to give you further updates on this situation."

Thames Water confirmed it is aware of the incident in a post on Twitter.