St. George's Preparatory School will not be demolished - but two offices and five classrooms were destroyed in tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Fabian while two classrooms are in jeopardy.

Yesterday, demolition work began on the oldest wing of the school which has been on Church Folly Lane for 80 years.

Head teacher Mary Lodge said she could not estimate the cost of the damage but that insurance would never completely cover what was lost.

"It is about a third of the school and was the oldest part, complete with cedar doors and windows," she said.

"We just had the 80th birthday celebration with alumni coming."

Some classrooms at risk might be spared, she added, however.

She said the roof had been removed yesterday. "It's looking promising. It looks like the classrooms are going to be all right."

Classes will double up at St. George's Community School and the school is also appealing for books to replace those lost in the storm.

She said: "It was a tornado, a neighbour saw it streak down and take off the roof."

Mobile classrooms are being shipped in with the 151 students hoping to move back in the middle of November.

Mrs. Lodge praised the Department of Youth and Sport for allowing them to borrow the community school.

Parents will be able to view the temporary facilities on Thursday, September 18 during the day and evening, said Mrs. Lodge, while the term will start a week late on the following Monday.

Big companies as well as St. George's residents are chipping in with cash to help the school said Mrs. Lodge.

"I am still numb from the enormity of what we have lost."

However, she stressed Fabian had created bigger tragedies than the school's demolition with seven year-old student, Stephen Symons, losing his father on the causeway.

She said: "Stephen has lost his father, his house and his school. Isn't that tragic?"

And she Police Constable Nicole O'Connor, who is missing, was the auntie of another one of her students.

"It's people that are important, a school is not a building, a school is a family bond between children, parents and teachers.

"We still have that no matter where we are. All the rest is just stuff.

"St. George's is very badly damaged, a lot of my children's houses are not secure."

People wishing to donate money can do so at The Bank of Bermuda account number for donations is 1001028740.