PUPILS at a Kidderminster school will be turning over a new leaf next term when a new library is unveiled following a welcome HSBC donation.

Comberton Primary School was handed more than £26,000 from the bank’s community department to help replace its old library with a better facility complete with new books.

The school’s old library was based in a corridor with no areas for quiet reading and books dating back to the 1970s and 80s.

But work has now started on the new facility – which will have updated stock, quiet reading areas and a digital booking system - and is expected to be ready for September

Former Comberton pupil and HSBC Retail Branch Manager Emma Lander made the application to her employers on the school’s behalf.

Her four-year-old son Harry now attends the school and she said she wanted to help after seeing the old library when at an event at Comberton.

She said: “HSBC is keen to help local community projects like this and the difference this library will make is immense.

“I met head teacher Paul Freear at an event at the school and, on seeing the condition of the library and the age of the books, I approached my community department of HSBC and made an application.

“This was successfully approved and the school has received the funds.

“Mr Freear was overwhelmed with the grant given from HSBC and is very thankful for the money which will benefit hundreds of children now and for years to come.

“The schools aspiration was to fund raise for new books and had created a fundraising group to raise money.

“To be able to build and create a new library was only an aspiration for the distant future – but now it’s a reality and the work has started.”