NEARLY three hundred children were sent home today after vandals wrecked their schools.

Holy Trinity's infant and nursery schools in Weymouth were both shut after classrooms and play areas were showered with glass from more than 40 broken windows.

Vandals are believed to have stormed along a low roof kicking in window after window, before moving on to smash more glass at the back of the school site off Cross Road.

Teachers were today assessing the cost of the damage but said it would run into several thousand pounds and the school now faced a race against time to try and clear up over half-term.

Headteacher Lyn Darley said the closure affected 260 infant school pupils and another 20 children in the nursery school.

She added: "We are all very upset. Just look at the mess. It is going to take forever to clear it up.

"It is an absolute disgrace because this school is a very special place. Only mindless people with no thought for others could do this."

She said it was the worst vandalism she had ever seen and the clear-up operation would have to be extremely painstaking because of the danger from shards of glass.

She said: "We are talking about many thousands of pounds and with little children about everything is going to have to be cleaned out.

"There is glass in games, glass in books, glass in computer keyboards, in pencil mugs and all over the indoor play area.

"It is soul-destroying but a good job it is half-term because we have some breathing space to clear up.

"If anyone saw these vandals then please help us by contacting the police as soon as possible."

PC Gareth Hunt, who is investigating the incident said: "I have been a policeman for 27 years and I have never seen so much damage in a school.

"I would urge anyone who saw anything or anyone with any information about the vandalism to contact us immediately."

Sergeant Geoff Hicks said: "This was an appalling and wanton act of vandalism which has forced Holy Trinity to close and anyone who can help with our investigation should contact us immediately on 01305 767474 or on the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111."