A HORWICH school was devastated last night after a third major arson attack at the building in less than a year. Fire crews rushed to Lever Park special school just after midnight to find a classroom ablaze and most of the single storey building badly damaged. The fire is believed to have been started deliberately in a classroom at the front left hand side of the building.

It was being rebuilt after an earlier arson attack.

"The fire was well developed when we got there," said Station Officer Jim Marsden.

The flames had spread into the school's roof space and filled the remainder of the building with smoke, badly damaging three quarters of the school.

At the height of the blaze 25 firemen were fighting the flames, which took three-quarters of an hour to bring under control.

Detectives starting an investigation into the incident today said that while the fire is being treated as arson the exact cause of the blaze is still to be established.

"It must be very distressing for the staff," said Detective Constable Andy Higham. The special school, which has 50 pupils aged eight to 16, has suffered three serious fires in the last year.

In July a £100,000 attack destroyed a staff room, toilet area and corridor and a boy was subsequently found guilty of arson.

In January three classrooms and a stock room were badly damaged in another arson attack.

It is not yet known whether the school will open next week or if pupils will have to be found places elsewhere until the damage is repaired.

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