DEVASTATED parents and pupils wept yesterday after discovering their school had been wrecked in a suspected arson attack.

Dramatic pictures in yesterday's Daily Post showed how Halton Lodge primary school, in Grangeway, Runcorn, was destroyed by the blaze.

Headteacher Gaynor Dickson, flanked by school governors and local people, watched helplessly as the building was engulfed by flames.

Dozens of parents consoled pupils arriving for school as firefighters continued to damp down the smouldering wreckage.

The 240 pupils had been preparing for its nativity play, which had been planned for last night.

Debbie Mayers, who has a 10-year-old daughter at the school, said: "My husband went to this school and my daughter Courtney has loads of friends whose parents also went to the school.

"The whole community is devastated to see our school burned down like

"The children and their mums have been crying this morning because the Christmas cards the children made for their mums and all their hard work and costumes have gone up in flames." Debbie, 28, added: "All of our memories have been destroyed."

Forty firefighters were called to the blaze at 7pm on Monday after being alerted by the school's automatic alarm.

Sean Hemshaw, of Runcorn fire station, said: "The flames were shooting 20ft in the air when the blaze was at its fiercest.

"The fire took hold quickly because there is so much timber in the frame of the build-ing. It took us several hours to bring the blaze under control and it has been so intense there is virtually nothing left."

The fire could be seen from miles away.

Fire investigation officers are investigating whether the blaze began inside or outside.

Parents were being directed to a nearby community building where council officers and teachers were holding an emergency meeting.

Spencer Webster, head of emergency planning at Halton Council, said: "We are sorting out plans to ensure that we can put the school into temporary accommodation while we establish what to do for the pupils in the New Year."

Arson attacks cost side schools hundreds of thousands of pounds every year.