SCHOOLS in Blackburn and Darwen are counting the cost of summer vandals as the latest wave of offensive graffiti is cleared-up.

Vandals struck at Witton Park High School in Buncer Lane, daubing several walls and trees with multi-coloured writing.

Education teams at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council stepped-in to help the school with the clear-up and special teams were called to the site. But it is just the latest in a string of attacks on school buildings. One of Witton's school site managers, said: "It is hard to clean-up graffiti during term time as some children just see it as an invitation to do more. But this latest wave happened over the weekend and it looks like it will cost £1,500."

Chair of governors Jack Fairless was unaware of the damage but was keen to see the buildings cleaned as pupils at summer school are on site this week.

A spokesperson for Blackburn with Darwen Council said: "We are working along side the school on the clear-up operation."

The school backs on to Witton Park where more than 40,000 people turned out for the weekend's Mela.

St Barnabas and St Paul's CE Primary School in Oakenhurst Road, Blackburn, recently applied to the council to erect six-meter high security masts for 24 hour surveillance in a bid to deter vandals.

Nearby Higher Croft Primary School in Fishmoor Drive, Blackburn, has also been plagued by graffiti-spraying vandals and thefts which have angered parents.

And a new £15,000 CCTV system has recently been installed at Queen's Park Technology College, in Shadsworth Road, Blackburn, to tackle a previous £7,000-annual bill to clear-up vandalism.

Peter Morgan, the council's Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, appealed to parents to make sure they know where their children are and what they are doing outside school hours, particularly during the summer holidays. He said: "Money spent repairing vandalism can be far better spent in the classroom."