AN Accrington headteacher is considering putting on security patrols at night after a spate of burglaries and vandalism.

Alasdair Coates, of St Christopher's CE High School, believes building work currently taking place on site is attracting youths into the school grounds at night.

In the most recent incidents vandals smashed 15 windows, causing almost £3,000 worth of damage.

A week later thieves stole three transformers and a Stihl saw from the school.

Mr Coates said: "These things come in spates and unfortunately we are being targeted at the moment.

"Normally there is no reason for youngsters to come onto our premises at night, but when it is not just a plain back yard they are more inclined to stray where they shouldn't.

"We have put up 2metre-high security fencing around the building site, then we added a further metre of barbed wire, but they are still getting in.

"We have extended the scope of our CCTV and hope the new cameras will help us to be even more vigilant.

"Now we are considering putting on night time patrols, but we would prefer to spend the money we have on education."

Mr Coates added that the culprits were also putting themselves at risk entering a building site.

He said: "It is extremely dangerous - they are scrambling up scaffolding and could fall, there is equipment in there that they could injure themselves on and it is a hard hat area so they could be hit by falling masonry."

The school is having major building work done, which will continue until Easter.

Contractors are currently completing the first phase, which is a refurbishment of technology rooms, including a new IT room, a new library and enlarged and re-fitted technology rooms for graphics, electronics, food and textiles.

Building work will then start on a new sports hall and a performing arts studio.

The first stage is part of the school's recently successful bid to become a specialist technology college.

Sgt Mark Porter, from Accrington police, said: "There has been a spate of break-ins at St Christopher's recently.

"We will be sending a crime prevention officer to the school to see what we can do to support them."