A PRIMARY has been left facing a £16,000 bill after lead thieves targeted the school roof.

Staff at Moordown St John's School, Vicarage Road, Bournemouth, were alerted to the thefts when rainwater seeped through the roof, damaging tiles which set off the intruder alarm.

Dorset Police attended the scene and initially searched the premises for intruders.

It was later that the lead theft came to light.

Head Teacher Peter Herbert told the Daily Echo: "To see the CCTV of these guys beavering away on the school, doing their best to avoid the cameras, it is weird.

"It is that feeling you get if you've had burglars in your house.

"There are a lot of things to deal with in this job. It is frustrating that this gets in the way of my prime role in the school, which is to make sure there is good quality teaching and learning and great things going on for the children."

The roof has been temporarily fixed, but the main repair work has been scheduled over the summer break.

Mr Herbert said: "It will cost £13,000 to replace the lead with a lead substitute, and another £3,000 to replace water damaged carpets, tiles and redecorate.

"The guys that came to put the plastic on the roof reckoned the thieves would have got no more than £400 for the lead.

"The water damage was in the foyer area, we had to re-route children around the school for a few days because the carpets were soaked - that was very inconvenient.

"But it is the cost and the hassle of getting it all repaired. We have to get so many quotes and it just takes time."

The theft, which was captured on CCTV, took place between late May 9 and the early hours of May 10 morning.

Dorset Police confirmed they attended the school, at 12.44am on May 10 after the intruder alarms sounded.

They were able to confirm no intruders had entered the school buildings, but a quantity of lead had been stolen from the roof.

No arrests have been made to date, but anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101, quoting occurrence number 55180070112.