CHILDREN at a Halton primary school which was destroyed in an arson attack celebrated Christmas with dinner and a Nativity play just a year after the fire.
Last year pupils at Halton Lodge were left devastated when it was destroyed by arsonists the day before their dinner and seasonal play was set to take place.
Last week, however, teachers were determined the children would not miss out again.
Headteacher Gaynor Dickson said: 'This year has been a great relief, despite the fact that Christmas was effectively cancelled for the school's children last year, we've really made up for it now.
'Last year was truly terrible. Loads of the children live locally and actually watched the blaze. There were parents, children and teachers all huddled on the pavement crying.
'We've managed to turn things around this much because of all the hard work and support of the school community.'
The school, in Grangeway, had to be demolished after the attack, forcing pupils to miss lessons before teachers could start to teach in mobile classrooms.
Meanwhile, work started on building a new school started in October and is due to be completed in August.
Pupil Emma Sheahey said: 'Last year we had to miss out on our Christmas dinner and the infant Nativity play had to be cancelled because all the costumes were burnt and there was nowhere to put the play on.
'All the cards and decorations we'd made were destroyed as well.
'This year we've had a Christmas fair, a Christmas bingo, the infants had their Nativity play and we've had our Christmas dinner.
'I get really upset when I think of everything that was lost but this year's been really happy.'
