CAMBRIDGESHIRE: An arson probe has been launched after a fire which could have destroyed a school in March was started deliberately.

Fire fighters are appealing for information after they tackled a blaze at Westwood Community Junior School in the early hours of this morning.

Crews from March, Chatteris and Thorney were called to the school in Maple Grove at 3.50am today after a member of the public spotted flames coming from the building.

Eight fire engines were sent to the scene, where crews found two large sheds were well alight.

The school was able to open this morning, despite the fire damage which had spread to an extension where equipment from the school hall was kept.

Sean Brown, incident commander, said: “If it hadn’t been for the early 999 call alerting the fire service quickly and the hard work of the crews at the scene, these children would not have been going to school this morning.

“If the 999 call had been made a few minutes later, the whole school could have been destroyed.

“If this had happened, the loss of education and the financial consequences for the community would have been catastrophic.”

Fire fighters managed to bring the incident under control by 5am.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det Sgt John Yore at Cambridgeshire Police on 0345 456 4564.