DEVASTATED staff at Worting Infant School in Basingstoke gave up their holiday last week to clear up the school after vandals went on a half-term spree - the second incident in less than a week.

Staff and teachers all returned to school early to clear shattered glass from 29 broken windows, 250 torn-off tiles and mud that had been thrown around by the vandals on Tuesday night.

Last week's incident followed an attack the previous Wednesday, when four windows were smashed and children were unable to use a classroom the next day.

Admin officer Sue Roberts said: "The school wouldn't be able to re-open on time if we didn't do this.

"The glass has been shattered throughout. We have had to pick bits out of the Lego, shake it out of books and pick it up off the floor.

"I am so angry. Everybody here is absolutely devastated. These vandals are putting young children at risk."

In reaction to the first incident, some of the 104 pupils at the Old Kempshott Lane school had already written letters they intended to give to The Gazette, expressing sadness over their ruined books and classroom.

Mrs Roberts added: "The children wanted to write about it to say how sad they were.

"The letters say the 'bad, big boys' smashed the windows and ruined the classroom."

She urged anyone who may have information about the vandalism to contact the police.

"Someone must have seen or heard this going on - it is too much for no-one to have noticed. There would have been a lot of noise."

Headteacher Jane Ballard, who has been at the school for 17 years, said: "I don't feel annoyed - I feel saddened by why somebody needs to do this.

"It is sad to think it could be children who have been to the school who did this, because they know how much love and care people put into it. It would be awful if it was."

She added: "Whoever it was went up on the roof, messing around. That is dangerous and I am worried we will find a body on the floor one morning if someone falls through the roof." The vandalism spree happened at a difficult time for Worting Infant School. Only four days earlier, Hampshire County Council had approved a bid to merge it with the junior school to create a new primary in the town.

The plan had caused controversy, with the junior contingent in favour but the infant school expressing concerns. Mrs Ballard had questioned whether her pupils would be any better off in an amalgamated school.

It is expected that the two will operate as a primary school in their present buildings from September next year, with work to create the new school at the present Worting Junior site, in Chiltern Way, expected to be completed a year later.