UK DEEDMORE SCHOOL ROBBED OF COMPUTERS AND FIRE STARTED BY THIEVESic Coventry - Thieves set fire to special schoolThieves set fire to special school Jan 27 2004


By Stephen Hallmark & Ben Griffin


Thieves who broke in to a Coventry school and stole computers started a huge blaze before they left.

Police were today investigating the arson attack which destroyed half of Deedmore School in Petitor Crescent, Henley Green.

At the height of the fire, which was started at about 2.30am today, flames leapt 40ft in the air and 75 firefighters from Coventry, Leamington, Nuneaton and Birmingham spent several hours battling to bring it under control.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said officers went to the school, which teaches 80 children with special needs, when the burglar alarm went off.

She confirmed computers had been stolen and said the school was on fire when police arrived.