Vandals have struck at a Bradford nursery destroying the hard work of parents and children to revamp their classrooms.

Children and teachers were in tears as they arrived at the Great Horton nursery to find windows shattered, a sink smashed and walls damaged.

But teachers and parents today pledged to have Southmere Primary School Nursery gleaming again for a planned Open Day next week.

The vandals have caused an estimated £2,500 of damage, including five smashed windows in the main school building.

Just before the Easter holidays, parents and staff led by teacher Hilary Worsman gave the nursery a much-needed facelift. Drab walls had not been painted for 25 years.

But now all the hard work has been undone.

"The vandalism is totally mindless, we are devastated by this," Mrs Worsman said. "Parents contributed their time and money and local businesses gave us discounts.

"It took us a few weeks but it looked absolutely beautiful.

"We are heartbroken after all our efforts."

Vandals struck on several occasions, throwing slabs of stone taken off nearby walls through the nursery windows.

Lumps of stone punched holes in inner walls, cracked a new bathroom sink, and destroyed electric sockets.

New flooring has been pitted by stones and ruined and the nursery was left covered with shards of glass.

The decorating team had painted the walls cheery colours, with fish and aquatic motifs in the bathroom and giant flowers elsewhere.

Head teacher Stewart Duxbury had been touched by the parent's dedication.

He said: "It was a delight to see this place develop. We are devastated by this damage but will go ahead with the Open Day as planned. This will not stop us."

Today parents and staff were desperately cleaning up the glass and patching up the damage so the nursery can open again tomorrow.

Karen Power, whose daughter Eleanor, three, attends the nursery said: "We spent every day here for three weeks before Easter, working hard.

"I was disgusted and sickened when I saw it like this after all the time we put in."

Joanne Harrison, mother of Rhys, four, agreed. She said: "They have done it out of pure badness. They knew it was a nursery, how could they do it?"

Volunteer Mussarat Sultana and her daughter Anisa, two, were upset by the damage. She said: "It was so nicely decorated before. This is really bad."

All parents, governors and residents are invited to their Open Day on Friday April 19.

The nursery cares for 48 part-time children aged between three and five.

A police spokesman said: "The vandalism has been reported to the police and we are investigating. Anyone with information is asked to phone Bradford South Police on 01274 376459"