A PRIMARY school's eco-project has been ruined by vandals who set a compost bin on fire over half term.

Pupils at St Paul's C of E Primary School, Hoddlesden, had been taking part in an Eco Warrior' project as part of the school's committment to reducing their carbon footprint. But when staff returned on Monday after the holiday, they found the bin pupils had worked on for four weeks had been torched.

Teacher Emily Keen, who is co-ordinating the eco-project, said the children, aged seven to 11, who had been taking part, were very disappointed by the incident.

She said: "We got back to find that some of the local reprobates had set fire to it.

"The children had set it up themselves four weeks ago and were really disappointed to find that it had been destoyed.

"They've been nagging me all week to find out when we'll be getting a new bin to start again, but it will be another month.

"Luckily the council have offered to pay for a new one. I think they felt sorry for us.

"The police taken statements but because nobody saw whoever did this, it seems unlikely they will get to the bottom of it."

The children had put their peelings from fruit snacks in the bin, and the school's canteen had been emptying their waste into the plastic bin.

It takes about a year for organic waste to turn into compost.

As part of the Eco Warriors project, the school has also had bike racks installed so pupils can cycle to school, new windows fitted to reduce heating bills, automatic shut-down on computer monitors to save energy, and there are moves to have plants in every classroom.

In recognition of their work, the school has just come second in Black-burn with Darwen Borough Council's recy-cling league for schools in the area.