A NEW school building has risen from the ashes of an arson attack two years ago.

Watched by children and staff, Burnley MP Peter Pike cut a ribbon to officially open the new Early Years Centre at on Oswald Street.

Flames engulfed part of the school after an arson attack which destroyed one classroom and severely damaged other areas of the building.

Firefighters were called to Stoneyholme Primary School, at 6.20pm on April 22, 2000.

They spent more than three and a half hours tackling the fire and clearing up the damage to the infants' section of the school.

Burnie, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service's investigation dog, was brought in to search for evidence to help police investigations.

At the time of the incident, school governor Rafique Malik called the arson attack "a very shameful act of vandalism."

Since the fire in April 2000, reception class children have had to be accommodated in mobile classrooms.

Deputy head Anne Reid said: "It wasn't a pleasant environment for them.

"Working in mobile classrooms is not an ideal environment for little ones. They had to use outside toilets."

But now the wait is over and the new classroom space, which caters for 70 children -- split into two classes -- is their new home.

The new building has extra facilities including a section where children of every year group have the chance to take part in role-playing activities and there is an area for teachers to work with smaller groups of children.

Before officially opening the unit Mr Pike took a tour of the school and talked to pupils.