TYLDESLEY'S new vandal-proof primary school officially opened yesterday, 17 months after the children moved in.

The new-look school, which caters for 240 primary pupils and 60 new part-time nursery tots, was built in under eight months at a cost of just over £1million.

It is the first complete school designed for Wigan's education department for many years, and the opening honour went to chairman of the governors, Cllr Brian Wilson, Wigan Council's cabinet member with responsibility for lifelong learning.

The purpose built single storey modern construction is light years away from the old building in Elliott Street.

Head teacher Viv Burrow said: "All my staff and the children and I want to say a big thank you to everyone involved in our lovely new school, and for building it so well and quickly.

"We were invited by the design team from the council's land and property department to say what we wanted and that is what we have been given, a bright, airy, daylight-filled school which is much easier and cheaper to maintain than the old schools are.

"It is also carefully designed outside to deter the scourge of modern education, the school vandal, while at the same time having a warm and friendly child centred atmosphere inside.

'It's going to be a pleasure for myself and 10 staff to teach here."

The playground, with its storage pavilion, is protected by a high security fence. The high flat walls to the front of the school form an obstacle to intruders with no rainwater pipes or other aids to climb the walls and no recesses to hide in.

The windows are small and doubled glazed with laminated and toughened glass.

The former Tyldesley Primary School in Lower Elliott Street housed the first Board School in Tyldesley on the site of Barlow House, the home of an industrial magnate, which opened in 1913.

Helen Keir was appointed the first head of Tyldesley Council School in that year and in 1935 the pupils transferred to the Upper George Street Council School.

In April that year the school reopened as the senior girls, the senior boys being at Garrett Hall.

The school continued as a senior girls until the opening of Freddies. In 1964 Tyldesley CP School was established in the Lower Elliott Street building.

The school relocated to Ennerdale Road in November 1999 and became known as Tyldesley Primary School.