CHILDREN were sad in this front page story, where they were sent home from their school before even starting their day.
More than 270 children were sent home from St Alban's Roman Catholic Infants School in Blackburn after there had been a fire the previous night.
The overnight vandals were thought to be children who entered by breaking a window. It was the fourth time in a fortnight that vandals had broken into.
The fire started in the main hall as priests and sisters-in-religion attended a choir and organ recital by Blackburn Cathedral Choir.
It spread from the gymnasium equipment cupboard to destroy doors, walls and part of the floor. Blackburn Fire Service fought the blaze for three hours.
Headmistress, Sister St.Phillip, said: "It is heartbreaking. The first thing I said when I saw the damage was, ''Oh, my lovely hall'.
"It really is a shame, and I don't think we can go ahead with the official opening ceremony now."
The school was due to be opened the following Friday officially.
Sister Phillip said: "This is the fourth time in a fortnight that the school has been broken into."
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