FIRE chiefs do not believe arson was to blame for a blaze at Minety School at the weekend. Crews from Malmesbury and Cricklade were called to burning mobile building used as a staff room at the school, at Sawyers Hill at around 12.30pm on Saturday.

Nobody was hurt in the fire, which appears to have started in cupboards.

Most of the damage was caused by smoke after fire crews had quickly got the blaze under control.

Headmaster Bernard Crooks said the fire was under control by the time he got to the scene but added he was relieved there were no injuries

He said: "When you receive a call like that you always fear the worst. Your first thoughts are, were there any people involved? There were none and that is most important."

Minety School suffered an attempted arson attack in April this year when a piece of material was stuffed into one of the other four portable buildings, and lit.

The fire only scorched the classroom's wooden floor.

Police launched an appeal in the parish magazine after the arson attempt asking youths to stay away from the school when it is shut.

But the fire service ruled out the possibility that last weekend's fire was the result of a similar attack.

Malmesbury lead fire-fighter Rob Denley said: "We are still investigating the cause of ignition but we are not treating this as arson.

"We could see no signs of forced entry through the windows or doors. The only damage was caused by our entry to the premises."

The identity of the person who raised the alarm is unknown but Mr Denley described arriving at the scene with smoke billowing from the 10m by 6m building.

He said: "Only around 20 per cent of the damage was caused by fire but it was heavily smoke logged and we had to use breathing apparatus."

The fire was brought under control fairly quickly, he said, but crews stayed at the scene for three hours making the area safe.

Mr Crooks said he did not know what had been damaged or the cost.

He said: "There was books and equipment, a mix of resources for the school in the building.

"It is hard to say how much it will cost to replace."