A MINIBUS belonging to Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, in Blackburn, has been destroyed by arsonists, according to firefighters.

Officers were called at 10pm, on Sunday, by a caretaker who lives on site at the school, in West Park Road, but they were unable to save the vehicle.

The school’s other minibus, which was parked beside the burnt-out shell, was damaged by heat, and also had a window smashed.

A Lancashire Fire and Rescue spokesman said: “It looks like it was a deliberate fire.

“There were two minibuses, and one was well alight by the time we turned up.

“The other was not set alight, but had a smashed window, which looked to be deliberate. Police attended the scene and are now making inquiries.”

Paul Oliver, of QEGS, said: “Things like this are a fairly rare occurance for us, and damage like this to the minibuses has never happened before.

“The buses are kept off the road and are pretty secure, but if someone is determined enough to scale the wall to do this, then they will.

“We have contacted our insurance company and will be getting hire vehicles temporarily.

“If we couldn’t, then it would have severely impacted on sports activities, as we wouldn’t have been able to transport pupils to Harrison Fields, in Lammack.”

A police spokesman said: “Between 9pm and 10pm on Sunday, an unknown offender has entered a secure school car park, smashed the passenger window of one minibus, and set it on fire.

“A second minibus has also been damaged, but not by fire.

“The vehicles have been recovered for inspection by crime scene investigators.”