Pupils have been delighted with work on a £100,000 library created as a memorial to a headteacher who died from a rare blood disorder.

South Benfleet Primary School's library, due to be open by Christmas, is a tribute to popular former headteacher Cyndy Batty.

Miss Batty, 54, died suddenly two years ago of amaloisoisis, a blood disorder which stops major organs working properly, just six weeks after falling terminally ill.

She died at St Luke's Hospice, in Basildon, in the summer of 2002. Miss Batty was head at the school, in High Road, for 18 years.

Building work on her memorial library is now almost finished.

Current headteacher Dominic Carver said: "The building is now up to roof height and soon work will begin on the inside. We're on target so hopefully by the end of October the actual building work will be completed, and then by Christmas we will have finished sorting it out inside."

Published Friday September 10, 2004

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