A Bradford primary school has been forced to close early for the summer holidays after a fire yesterday.

Firefighters fought to control the blaze which broke out in the roof of St Barnabas Primary School, Heaton, last night.

Crews from Shipley and Odsal attended the incident after smoke was spotted rising from the Rossefield Road premises at around 8pm.

The school was due to close for the summer holidays tomorrow.

Deputy headteacher Pamela Holland said if firefighters had not attended in time the whole school could have caught fire.

The roof of one of the school annexe buildings in the reception area was well alight when firefighters arrived.

Leading firefighter David Rawlinson said: "We had to cut the padlock to get into the site. The fire had got into the roof and we had to hack away at an area of about six foot square to stop it from spreading. There was a considerable amount of damage caused to the roof. Luckily, the roof was above a corridor but there was some smoke and heat damage.

"It could have been quite serious and we did well to stop it from spreading. The roof was well alight when we arrived."

Fire crews were there for two hours and teachers helped them clear up the site.

Mrs Holland said: "We have had to shut the school early for the summer holidays. We were planning a big leaving party for the Year Six children, a disco and a party and we hope we can still sort something out," she said.

This morning parents spoke of their shock.

Gillian Wright, a parent and foundation governor, who runs the newly-formed Walking Bus, said she was told that the school was shut by a teacher.

"I got a phone call late last night. I was in shock when I heard," she said.