A FORMER headteacher who rebuilt a primary school after it was torched by arsonists has been killed in a car crash in Africa.

Viv Clark, former head at Hoghton's Brindle Gregson Lane Primary School, died days into a holiday in Namibia where she was visiting relatives.

The Foreign Office has also confirmed another man died in the March 31 road traffic accident which also left another passenger, believed to be Mrs Clark's husband, injured.

Officials are liaising with police in the region who have launched an investigation.

A colleague has paid tribute to Mrs Clark, saying she was a born leader who had much to give.

Mrs Clark who served for 12 years as both deputy and head at Gregson Lane, refused to be beaten when her school, in Bournes Row, was razed by two young firebugs in May 2001.

For two years, staff taught pupils in portable buildings erected on the school's playing fields while workers first removed the ashes of the old building then began work on a £2million new one.

Mrs Clark, who was in her 50s and from Penwortham, is credited for overseeing a phoenix from the flames success with standards and academic results continuing to rise despite the fire.

In 2004 she left the school to work as an education authority advisor for Lancashire County Council which until her death saw her go into struggling primary schools, mainly in the east of the county, to help boost effectiveness.

Leading the tributes to the mum-of-two, Tina Thornton, who worked with Mrs Clark said: "I was shattered when I heard the news.

"She remained totally focused and was adamant the fire was not going to diminish the effectiveness of the school's education.

"She was determined to make good out of a bad situation. She made sure the new school was fit for the new Millennium and worked with everyone from builders, parents to governors. She asked pupils to help design it.

"As school advisor she was able to use her skills to help deputy and headteachers."

Confirming Mrs Clark's death, a Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "I can confirm as a result of a road accident in Namibia on March 31 one British national was killed and her husband was one of the people in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

"Another man, not a British national also died and one British national was injured."