Schools damaged as vandals torch room and smash windows

Mar 9 2007 By Gary Fanning

VANDALS caused more than £5000 of damage after wrecking sprees at two Larkhall schools.

Firebugs broke into Larkhall Academy and torched a staff room.

In a second vandal attack to school property, hooligans smashed 23 windows at Larkhall’s Machanhill Primary School.

Police are probing both incidents and were this week appealing for witnesses to come forward with information.

Inspector William Black, of Larkhall Police Office, said: “We are following a definite line of inquiry in the Machanhill Primary school incident.

“In the other incident, the canteen at the Academy was broken into and a chair was set on fire within the school.

“We are also making inquiries into this incident, and I would like to speak to anyone who has information which can help us catch those who were responsible.

“I would also urge residents who live around schools to be vigilant.

“If they see anyone hanging about inside school grounds outside the normal school hours, then they should contact police immediately.”

The Larkhall Academy blaze occurred on Monday, February 12, during a school holiday.

Vandals broke into the school and set fire to a staff room used by catering workers.

The blaze is reported to have caused £3359 of damage to the area.

All repairs to the fire-damaged school were carried out in time for pupils going back to class on Thursday, February 15.

Pupils didn’t have to be relocated and the kitchen’s facilities operated as normal.

Almost a fortnight after the blaze, rampaging hooligans smashed 23 windows at Machanhill Primary School.

The mindless vandalism happened on Sunday, February 25.

The result of the window-smashing spree cost £2300 of taxpayers’ cash to secure and replace the shattered windows.

A South Lanarkshire Council spokesman said they were appalled at the vandalism incidents.

He added: “There has been recent break-ins and vandalism at both Machanhill Primary and Larkhall Academy.

“Security is being reviewed at both schools.

“We would ask members of the public to report any incidents of this kind to the police or school.”

The two incidents are the latest in a spate of vandalism to schools in the Larkhall area.

Last April, the Advertiser reported that a blaze at a Larkhall primary was the second vandal attack on the town’s schools in seven days.

Hooligans caused thousands of pounds worth of damage after they set fire to the roof at Robert Smillie Primary School in Glen Avenue.

Most of the Robert Smillie building was unaffected by the fire.

But the school’s nursery, which is situated on the campus, didn’t escape and was closed following the blaze.

It reopened after repairs were carried out.

The incident occurred a week after hooligans flooded Larkhall Academy.

Intruders broke into Larkhall Children’s Centre, which is situated beside the Academy, and stole a fire extinguisher from the nursery.

They used the fire extinguisher to smash a window at the Academy’s technical department.

The vandals sneaked into the school and turned the water taps on, causing £1000 worth of damage.

They ran away without turning the taps off.