It's half term and youngsters at this holiday scheme should be having outdoor fun.

But vandals put paid to that when they set light to part of a new multi-thousand pound playground at a primary school in Idle at the weekend.

Kim Rands, who runs the Blakehill School Extra Club, thinks the culprits squeezed through the gaps in a fence, just off Highfield Road, to get in.

They set fire to a £1,000 tunnel, part of a £7,000 play package paid for by funds from Bradford Council's Early Years Department and Childcare Services as well as some of the club's own savings.

A parent passing the school on Highfield Road at 4pm on Saturday spotted the flames and dialled 999.

Firefighters from Idle station, just across the road, were first on the scene and had to clamber over high railings to by-pass locked gates and tackle the blaze.

Police are investigating what happened and children at the holiday scheme are about to launch their own appeal for information by delivering letters round nearby houses asking for information to help catch whoever was responsible.

Mrs Rands said: "The children were heartbroken when they turned up and saw the tunnel destroyed. It was their favourite plaything.

"I suppose we're lucky we're insured and that nothing else was damaged but whoever did this needs to know the consequences they have brought about, even if it was just something that got out of hand.

"They need to know how much upset they've caused."

And she added: "The fire's not stopped us from having fun at the club but it means there's not as much for the children to do outdoors.

"We've not had as many problems with vandals recently because the school's had a big fence put up all round but it seems some people are still managing to get in by squeezing through gaps in it.

"Losing the tunnel is bad enough but it could have been worse. The building where we have the club could have gone up in flames with everything inside it - thank goodness the fire station is only across the road."

e-mail: kathie.griffiths @bradford.newsquest.co.uk