A Spen Valley school is winning the war against vandals thanks to an eight-foot high security fence measuring 1,000ft across.

It means St Mary's First School in Gomersal can now go ahead with long-awaited plans to improve the playground for the 180 pupils without fear of it being wrecked.

Headteacher Charles Woodbridge revealed in May how vandals caused at least £2,000 damage in a year by setting fire to dustbins, smashing roof tiles, windows, a wall and guttering and nursery steps.

They also caused £550 damage to a rubber play surface, daubed obscene graffiti on walls and ripped up vegetables in the nursery.

As a result, the school decided to spend £13,000 on installing the fence and making the entrance gates higher, with the help of grants from Kirklees Council and the Government.

"The fence has made an enormous difference since it was put up during the school holidays," said Mr Woodbridge. "The wall teenagers used to climb over to get into the school grounds has gone.

"The only problem we have had is very young children squeezing through the gap at the bottom of the entrance gates to collect a ball, but they haven't been causing any damage.

"But the gates will be extended to prevent children getting through so by next week nobody will be able to get into the grounds when the school is closed.''

The Friends of St Mary's First donated £500 to improve the playground and playtime facilities for the youngsters.

"The Friends have said they will donate money from their fundraising events throughout the year to develop the school grounds," added Mr Woodbridge.

"The £500 they have given us will be used to buy play equipment. Some of the children and staff have suggested dominoes, draughts and Duplo for use when it's too wet to play outside.

"We've already put up a netball net and there are plans for seats, low level climbing frames, trees and some of the staff want a pond and garden area where the children can grow things.

"We are introducing the improvements bit by bit to see what a difference they make and to see if they get damaged by vandals, which we obviously hope will not happen.''

In March the school fitted shutters to four exits at a cost of £4,000 to stop vandals breaking in. Previously it was also bounded on three sides by a fence to protect the privacy of adjoining homes.

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