Buildings defects and faults have been discovered at all 17 schools closed earlier this week in Edinburgh, it has been announced.

The schools were delivered by the public-private Edinburgh Schools Partnership (ESP) in 2005.

However, the partnership has been carrying out surveys at each school after brickwork collapsed at Oxgangs Primary during a storm in January.

Council Leader Andrew Burns said all the schools would remain closed until "Edinburgh Schools Partnership can assure us of their safety".

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"Yesterday evening (13 April) the Council received early indications that suggest evidence of faults across all 17 affected schools to a varying extent," he said.

"At the moment it is too early to say what the impact will be as full survey results from Edinburgh Schools Partnership have not been yet been received.

"Some faults may be easy to fix and may not present a major problem while others could be longer term.

"We will provide parents with further information on the impact of individual school surveys once the full reports are received and assessed."

The programme of structural surveys arranged by the ESP is continuing.

(LM)