P.O.W.

Walking past Donaldson's College, the old building for the school for the deaf and I spied that the gate was open.

This building has stood empty and closed since the school moved out to more modern premises and the sale of the building fell through. Cala homes originally bought it but the credit crunch destroyed plans to turn it into luxury apartments.

Since then it has been on the market and bidding has just closed so it looks like somebody has bought it. It will be made public who come August.

How do I know this? By the open gate the grounds keeper was preparing to show a German family around the school. They had traveled across Europe and had gained permission from the estate to be taken on a tour of the building.

The German gentleman's father had been held as a prisoner of war within Donaldson's College during World War II. He wanted one last chance to look around before the building is changed forever. The grounds man said that the attic space was filled with German graffiti from when the prisoners were held there. He regretted that he couldn't take the family up to the attic to see them as the floorboards were unsafe now but he would do his best to show them what he could.

The grounds man apologised that he couldn't let me into the building for a look but was kind enough to let me into the grounds to get some exterior shots.

It looks like I have missed my chance to see inside before it is changed forever.