HEADTEACHERS across East Lancashire are being urged to review the security of their schools during the summer holidays in a bid to combat arson and vandal attacks.

Police and fire crews have joined to issue the warning after revealing that in the last year there have been 45 arson attacks on educational establishments across the county.

Vandalism, juvenile nuisance and arson in Lancashire schools is an all-year problem but peaks when schools are unoccupied.

Every school in East Lancashire has been sent a copy of the Schools Out-Forever booklet, which advises schools on precautionary measures funded by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Lancashire Partnership Against Crime and the Lancashire Healthy Schools Project.

The move comes as one Blackburn school revealed it has turned to sophisticated security technology to protect its buildings.

St Thomas CE Primary School, Newton Street, Blackburn, have installed a remotely monitored security system after it was targeted by vandalism and burglary.

Headteacher Carolyn Lord, said: "A monitored alarm system gives peace of mind that should something happen, day or night, you know there is someone who will respond immediately to it."

Witton Park High School in Buncer Lane was also recently targeted by vandals and St Barnabas and St Paul's CE Primary School in Oakenhurst Road, Blackburn, have applied to the council to erect six-meter high security masts for 24 hour surveillance.

Nearby Higher Croft Primary School in Fishmoor Drive, Blackburn, has also been plagued by graffiti-spraying vandals and thefts and a new £15,000 CCTV system has recently been installed at Queen's Park Technology College, in Shadsworth Road, Blackburn.