564 schools attacked by arsonists

The shocking extent of arson in London's schools is revealed today.

One in two secondaries has been subjected to a fire over a three-year period, research has found.

In total, 564 of the capital's primaries and secondaries fell victim to arsonists - most often children as young as 12.

It comes as the cost of clearing up after a school fire continues to soar. Nationwide figures for last year put the total cost at £92million - a third higher than the previous year.

This equates to the cost of building 45 new primary schools or employing 3,750 teachers.

The level of arson in the capital's schools is revealed today in a report from the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, which runs the fire brigade.