THE boarded-up windows, charred beams and demolition warning signs at Middleton St George Primary School suggest nothing so much as a burnt-out empty shell.

But on Monday morning more than 240 pupils, eight teachers and a handful of support staff started the new term inside.

It is less than two months since a fire, lit by arsonists, ripped through the building, destroying the hall, three classrooms and decades of hard work.

Acting deputy head Catherine Pollard said: "When we saw this place after the fire I honestly never thought we would be coming back here. But the community has pulled together and worked incredibly hard so that we can re-open. It has totally pulled us together as a team."

For staff and parents, much of the two-week Easter break had been spent getting the inhabitable half of the school back in working order.

Darlington Borough Council has installed temporary classrooms and a hall outside, salvaged and decorated classrooms inside and built a wall across the middle of the school to hide the devastating damage wreaked by the flames. New books and classroom equipment have also been provided.

Since the blaze, on February 26, the pupils have been taught at an empty school on the Firthmoor estate in Darlington. But Mrs Pollard said both staff and pupils were desperate to get back to the village.

She said: "It was lovely that we were able to move to Firthmoor, it was like a holiday, but then we wanted to be back home. This morning everyone was just so excited to be back. Now we can try to return to normal."

Ten-year-old Louise Patan said: "It looks a bit horrible from outside but it's still our school and we're proud of it. We've all been looking forward to coming back."

* See The Northern Echo on Wednesday, May 7, for the pupils' own story about their experiences.