TEENAGE arsonists were responsible for a blaze which gutted a village primary school near Darlington, it was confirmed last night.

Middleton St George Primary School was wrecked on Wednesday night when fire ripped through the roof, destroying the hall and several classrooms.

Detectives in Darlington last night confirmed they were treating the fire as suspicious.

Forensic teams believe the fire was started when newspapers stuffed under the eaves of the roof were set alight.

Witnesses reported seeing a number of boys, aged 12 or 13, trying to start fires on the pavement outside the school and then on the school field at about 7.15pm.

They were then spotted on the school roof just before the blaze, which broke out at about 7.30pm.

Last night, an education authority spokesman said the school would remain closed for the foreseeable future.

He said it was hoped that children would be able to return to lessons at other schools in nearby Darlington within two weeks, although it had not been decided which youngsters would go where.

He stressed that every effort would be made to keep the pupils together in one school. The most likely option appears to be the use of Sadberge Primary School, where there is spare capacity.

Sergeant Dave Wilkes, of Darlington CID, said police were making house-to-house inquiries and taking full statements from witnesses, but he was still looking for more witnesses to come forward.

Mayor of Darlington Doris Jones, borough councillor for the village and deputy chair of the school's board of governors, said: "Whoever has done this has no comprehension as to the devastation they have caused all these children and staff. There were children stood in tears this morning about their schoolwork, and that is heartbreaking.

"It is a blow to the entire village and we don't know what we are going to do next."

Parents face an anxious wait before they find out when pupils will be back at school, particularly with children in years two and six who are in the middle of their SATs exams.

Education chiefs had an emergency meeting last night to discuss all the options.

A spokesman for Darlington Borough Council said children taking SATs were a priority, but he added that if possible, all the pupils would be kept together.

He said that although there was a lot of damage, it was hoped that much of the children's work and equipment, including computers, could be salvaged.

Fire crews spent yesterday making the building secure so teachers and council workers could go in and rescue what equipment and childrens' work they could.

The fire came just a day after the council announced plans to build a new school in the village, which is due to open in 2004.

Ironically, the school was also pioneering a junior neighbourhood watch scheme designed to stamp out petty vandalism.

Nationally, school arsons cost the country £100m a year - the equivalent of building 100 new primary schools or recruiting 5,000 teachers.

Officials in County Durham and North Yorkshire have expressed concern at the growing number of fires started deliberately.

Last year George Herbert, County Durham's Chief Fire Officer, called on education authorities to make schools fit sprinkler systems.

He spoke out after a temporary school had to be erected next to Hardwick Primary School, in Sedgefield, County Durham, following an arson attack.