With 99.8 per cent of 2,140 schools due to open yesterday having done so, Ochiltree and Fintry Primary Schools have Scottish Water to thank for being able to follow suit.

Following the replacement of a frozen and ruptured water meter at Ochiltree Primary first thing yesterday, Scottish Water have today provided Fintry with a bowser and a supply of bottled water to enable it to open to pupils this morning.

Education Secretary Michael Russell said: "Hats off to Scottish Water, they've pulled out all the stops to ensure that these two schools were able to open this week. This has helped avoid further disruption to pupils' education following the recent bad weather. And I know that these are not the only examples of this sort of action.

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"I have heard many reports of all the precautionary checking of school premises and, if needs be, repair and maintenance work carried out over the holidays. The result has been very few schools unable to reopen on time. Parents and pupils everywhere are indebted to the good planning and hard work on the part of local authorities and schools.

"Many schools are now looking to continue the process of helping pupils to catch up on work missed due to snow-related closures - which hopefully won't be too much of a burden for pupils. For now, I would like to thank everyone who has helped to get the new term off to as prompt and smooth a start as has been achieved."

(GK)