AFTER a spate of vicious vandalism attacks in Fareham police are warning schools across the borough to be on their guard.

The half term break and a town full of deserted school premises has proved too much of a temptation for mindless vandals.

Three schools were targeted last week prompting police to urge staff and head teachers to be extra vigilant in the run up to the long summer holidays.

This week the Daily Echo reported how four teenagers had been arrested after breaking into St Francis School - a special school in Oldbury Way.

Crofton Hammond County Infant School in Mancroft Avenue also suffered when vandals used garden gnomes stolen from nearby homes to smash down fence posts.

The latest attack to come to light is the trail of destruction left at the Bees Knees pre school in St Michael's Grove.

Yobs kicked in the door to the storage shed trashing the dressing up costumes and art materials inside and leaving fire extinguishers and cigarette butts strewn around the garden. Nursery managers Rachel McClemens and Helen Travis, said they were heartbroken when they found the ruined toys and equipment.

Rachel said: "We were devastated. It was chaos. We called the police and they have taken some fingerprints. There is a lot of damage and it will be expensive to replace but we just can't let the children down.

"We just can't understand why anyone would approach a nursery to do something like this.

"There was nothing in there that would be of any use to them - why would they do something like that?"

Chief Inspector Kerry Bedford of Fareham police said officers would step up patrols over the summer holidays to prevent further attacks.

"We are urging schools to be extra vigilant during out of schools hours especially with the summer holidays coming up," he said.