Vandals Strike At School

The two youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, broke into the school on Saturday, December 29, smashing a total of 34 windows around the premises.

They also redecorated two classrooms, which are used by The WIRE Project as a base for one of its breakfast clubs and new after-school study club, using broken glass, marmite, butter and red paint.

The bill for this thoughtless vandalism was more than 5,000.

A team of 10 WIRE volunteers spent four hours tidying up the rooms in time for the school s return.

Paul Sanderson, The WIRE Project manager, said: "The staff team and volunteers do so much good it is always hard when you get bad news like this, but it comes with the job.

"There are a lot of people who struggle to express themselves and we are sometimes on the receiving end of their actions.

"But, as usual, the team rolled up their sleeves and got on with the job at hand. I am so proud of them."

Jon Jolly, The WIRE youth and community worker, said: "When I saw what they had done, I was as gutted as the rooms were.

"The children who attend every morning and after school had put so much work into making the rooms theirs. Now they will have to start again."

Two teenage boys have been questioned by police in connection with the damage and have been bailed for further inquiries.