IPSWICH: A community has been left heartbroken after mindless vandals again targeted a town special school.

Beacon Hill School, in Stone Lodge Lane West, was targeted on Saturday by “mindless vandals” who broke into a shed and damaged parts of the building.

Site manager Andy Austin was shocked when he arrived at the school on Saturday night to find fragments of shattered glass across the IT room.

He said: “It really is just mindless acts of vandalism and it is not fair on our students. I just cannot believe that this has happened for the third time in a week.

“It is really hard for our students when something like this happens because a lot of them find it very upsetting.

“It’s hard when it involves toys and things like that because we can’t always afford to replace them and then it has a knock-on effect with the children.”

A spokesperson for Suffolk police said that the school had been entered between 8.30pm and 8.55pm on Saturday.

Whilst inside the property, vandals forced their way into a wooden shed and searched the desks and drawers.

The spokesperson added: “They have also climbed onto the roof of the school and smashed extractor vents and damaged electrical cabling on the roof.”

However, it is not the first time that the school has been targeted, and the school community has been left devastated that the spate of vandalism has continued.

Just a week ago, The Evening Star reported that the school had been targeted twice in two days by arsonists who set light to a compost area and then torched a shed containing hundreds of pounds worth of outdoor toys.

The arson left the school fearful of future attacks.

Mr Austin later told The Evening Star that students at Kesgrave High School have expressed their support and hope to raise funds to replace the toys.

“I think it is lovely that other children want to help out – it’s extremely generous of them,” he said.

Anyone who knows any information relating to the latest incident or any of the past incidents at Beacon Hill School is asked to contact MC Matthew Milton at the South West Ipswich Safer Neighbourhood Team on 01473 613500. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

n Do you think schools need more protection from criminals? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk