CHILDREN as young as eight went on a wrecking spree causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to a Southampton school - and there is no legal action the police can take. Pupils at Thornhill Infants School had to be kept off today because the tiny vandals had caused so much damage.

Three youngsters, all aged under ten, broke into the school in Byron Road on Saturday.

But although they were caught on the school grounds they are below the age of criminality, which is ten, and therefore cannot be prosecuted.

In their 15-minute rampage through the school, 39 windows were smashed, scattering glass inside every classroom, and causing an estimated £5,000 damage.

Police caught the children on site, after their actions set off an alarm.

Headteacher Maureen Lettice said the school, which caters for four- to seven-year-olds, has many alarms.

"In my nine years here we have had a few windows broken, but nothing at all like this. The police and a city council representative came down and were totally shocked at the appalling damage.

"The youngsters climbed onto the roof to smash the windows. The whole school is littered with stones and bricks they have chucked through. the glass."

Caretaker Alfred Azzopardi said cleaners were sifting through every floorboard, chair and book in each classroom to clear glass.

"We have had to board up all the windows in the school and get cleaners in. The board will have to stay up until the windows are replaced," he said.

Around 190 children will be affected by today's closure.

Bitterne police Inspector Geoff Aston said the vandals - who cannot be named - couldn't be prosecuted as all were under ten, the age of criminal responsibility.

He added: "We did catch those responsible and I believe their were eight-year-olds. We are going to see the kids infront of their parents.

''That is common sense and only what the public would expect, but in terms of formal processes there is no action we can take.''

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.