SECURITY measures are to be stepped up at Moorland High School, Darwen, after vandals caused £4,000 worth of damage.

Thugs lobbed stones at the Holden Fold school on Sunday and shattered 30 windows, resulting in two having to be boarded up. Teachers arrived early to clean up the mess before the year-nine SATs resumed yesterday.

Richard Bridges, headteacher, said: "Luckily none of the lessons has been affected. Pupils took their science SATs in the main hall and none of the windows was targeted there."

WG Securities and Voyager Ltd, of Clarence Street, Darwen, set up a pioneering link-up with schools across Darwen last year. The scheme provides 24-hour surveillance in the form of CCTV cameras which project images back to the company's control room.

Security staff, who patrol the schools overnight, can contact police on a special mobile phone if there are any signs of anti-social behaviour.

Mr Bridges said: "This is the first serious incident we've had in about a year and the cameras act as a real deterrent for vandals."

Most of the smashed windows were at the back of the school, away from the 12 cameras around the front area.

Mr Bridges added: "This is a mindless act which someone went out of their way to do. You wouldn't end up around the back of the school unless you were trying to."

Security will now be reviewed at the next governors' meeting.

Wayne Grundy, managing director of WG Securities, said: "This is the first major incident we've had since the system was set up last summer. The cameras have done their job. We will now look into the possibility of installing cameras at the back of the school."

The security programme costs £2,500 to schools which get involved. All but three in Darwen have enrolled since last year.

Police believe offenders started targeting the school at 5.45pm. Alarms were triggered and police called to the scene. WG security staff were alerted but the vandals returned an hour later where they caused a further £3,500 worth of damage.

DC John Entwistle of Darwen CID, said: "Two males in black jackets were seen running away but we don't yet know if they have any connection to the incident."

Anyone with information about the attack should contact Darwen police on 01254 353842.