Fallen teacher’s ‘living tribute’ ruined by fire
SUSPECTED ARSON JUST DAYS BEFORE ANNIVERSARY
A REPLICA of a Roman settlement which was built in memory of a much-loved teacher has been torched - a week before the second anniversary of his death.
Hadrian School teacher Wadud Abdul lost his life in a river tragedy celebrating his 36th birthday at Low Force waterfall in County Durham two years ago today.
After leaping into the water, wife Cheryl, their 22-month-old son Isa and daughter Mya, 13, could only watch in horror as the popular dad-oftwo disappeared from view.
Wadud’s body was recovered the next day, and the inquest ruled he had died as a result of an accident after the cold water caused his body to go into shock.
Stunned by the devastating news, staff and pupils at the West End school in Newcastle worked to complete a tribute to the popular dad-of-two who had worked at the school for a decade.
A life-sized replica of a Roman settlement Mr Abdul started was quickly completed just months later, and stood as a ‘living tribute’.
But headteacher Chris Rollings has revealed the structure was burned ‘to a crisp’ by alleged arsonists on Sunday night - just a week before Mr Abdul’s family were due to mark the second anniversary of his passing.
Chris said: “We were good friends, really close.
“It was a living tribute to a muchloved colleague, it was somewhere to go and think about him.
“I was absolutely livid when I got the call and then saw the building’s charred remains.
“It is just so senseless, and the timing could not be worse.”
Cheryl and the children marked the first anniversary of Wadud’s death by revisiting the Low Force beauty spot where tragedy struck.
A school badminton tournament is planned in the next half-term in the popular teacher’s memory, and headteacher Chris is hopeful the alleged arsonists will get what they deserve and face justice.
He added: “Staff were told at the morning briefing, and they instantly talked about rebuilding and fundraising to do that. That’s the mark of the people here.
“I’m assuming teenagers have come down and burnt it down to a crisp.
“I want the publicity to shame the culprits into realising what they have done.
“I just hope that someone in the local community might have some information on what happened, or saw someone looking dishevelled or smelling of smoke.”
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service confirmed crews from West Denton were called to the school grounds at 10.20pm last Sunday, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Northumbria Police is treating the incident as arson, believing an unknown person has forced entry to the structure before setting it on fire.
Anybody who saw someone acting suspiciously in the area over the weekend or has any information on the incident is urged to call 101, quoting log 154 22/05/17.