A Co Armagh comprehensive school has been extensively damaged in a fire which was today being blamed on arsonists.
Damage running into hundreds of thousands of pounds was caused to Lismore Comprehensive on the Brownlow Road in Portadown during the overnight blaze which destroyed or damaged more than two dozen classrooms.
Course work carried out by English and history pupils for their summer GCSE exams was destroyed in the fire, said headmaster Joe Corrigan.
It was the second time in less than three years that the school had been targeted and Mr Corrigan said he and his staff were devastated.
It will be several days before the school can even think about reopening. Classes have been initially cancelled for Monday and Tuesday.
The shocked headmaster said: "There are two classrooms completely destroyed, and all of the contents - including, I am afraid, children's GCSE course work from an English classroom and a history classroom.
"But there is also very widespread collateral damage to up to 20-25 classrooms which are badly water damaged and smoke damaged. "That is going to be a major problem, getting those cleaned up and put back to use."
Local fire chief, Commander William Cavanagh said only the swift arrival of his crews prevented the flames spreading right through the school.
He said the blaze had been so intense that some of the building's steel structure was damaged.
Police Service detectives and scenes of crime officers sifted through the burned out classrooms and said they were treating the blaze as suspicious.
Local SDLP Assembly member Delores Kelly said there were reports of a number of youths being seen running away from the school as the fire broke out.
"This is unfortunately not the first attack, but the latest in a series and it looks like one of the most serious. It is disruptive for students and their families in the run-up to exams and it is absolutely heartbreaking for staff who have worked so hard to build this school up."