A TEACHER who rebuilt a primary school after it was torched by arsonists is set to become a troubleshooter for Lancashire County Council.

Viv Clark, head at Brindle Gregson Lane Primary School in Hoghton, made her announcement to staff and pupils and said it would 'be a massive wrench to leave'.

Her school, in Bournes Row, was thrown into the spotlight when it was razed to the ground by two young firebugs in May 2001 after they torched a wheelie bin.

For two years, staff taught pupils in portable buildings erected on the school's playing fields while workmen first removed the ashes of the old building then began work on a £2million new one. Staff and pupils moved into the new school last September -- and now Mrs Clark will end her 12-year association with the tight-knit Gregson Lane community at the end of term next month.

Mrs Clark said: "It will be a massive wrench to leave because I am the school and the school is me.

"We have achieved so much over the last few years and, if anything, the fire which destroyed the school has brought this community closer together than ever.

"I could happily stay here until I retired but I didn't want to pass up the opportunity only to think five years further down the line 'I wish I'd done that'."

In her role as a local education authority advisor, Mrs Clark will go into the county's primary schools to help boost effectiveness.

She said: "It is a massive promotion and I do have a lot to learn in the job".

"I sincerely hope no other schools have to go through what we have done but, if they do, I will be there to help them in the aftermath.

"I have nothing but fond memories of this community, which responded so well to something which could have destroyed it."