Heartless vandals created double misery for an infant school when they smashed windows there twice last week, causing damage estimated at £2,500.

More than 20 windows were shattered at Brookside Infant School, Dagnam Park Drive overnight between 6pm on Wednesday and 2am on Thursday.

They had only just repaired these and cleaned up glass when another eight were broken at 2am on Sunday.

The unlucky school and the adjacent Brookside Junior school were also only just recovering from the shock of two meningitis cases there last month.

Disruption reigned in the school corridors after the vandals struck. Thousands of pieces of glass covered toilets, cloakrooms, and classrooms. It was even found inside computers and reading books and had to be meticulously removed by school assistants and teachers.

Guardian Security mobile patrol officers, who monitor the school grounds with torches at intervals throughout the night, discovered damage each time at 2am and immediately called the school's keeper, Derek Johnson.

On the first night, Mr Johnson worked for several hours and six assistants and teachers arrived later to finish clearing the debris.

Remarkably, classes were only postponed to 10am while children were kept in 'safe' rooms and lessons began as normal after the second attack.

Head teacher Judith Puttick said: "This was mindless destruction. The £2,500 repairs are a significant proportion of the school's budget and could have been better spent on books or equipment.

"The disruption has been considerable. Clearing up was a formidable task. It is very difficult to ensure that every little bit of glass was cleaned from the school and necessary because infants are always sitting on the floor. However I am glad to say the children are fine and taking it very well.

"Other attacks have happened recently but only the odd window each time."

The mindless attack comes after the school and sister school Brookside Juniors each saw a pupil contract meningitis.

Lessons were also disrupted as pupils, parents and teachers were vaccinated. Happily both sufferers made a full recovery and were back at school for the start of term.

Mrs Puttick is asking for witnesses with any information on the attack to call her in confidence on 01708 343066 or the police on 01708 779241.

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