THE headteacher of a special needs school in Abingdon has condemned vandals who "spoiled Christmas" for the children.

Four tricyles were stolen, outside walls were daubed with abusive graffiti and a storage shed and front gates damaged. The total cost of the theft and repairs approaches almost £2,000.

Ann O'Meara, head of the Kingfisher School in Radley Road, said: "Whoever was responsible has caused pupils and staff a lot of distress at a time when everyone should be jolly and happy as Christmas approaches. This is not the first time in recent years our school has been attacked by vandals. It is very sad and so unnecessary.

"Two of the cycles have been recovered and can be repaired, but two are still missing. The cost of replacing them and repairs to the other two tricyles, the storage shed and gates and removing the graffiti has run up a bill of more than £1,800 and it may be more.

"We can claim off our insurance, but have to pay an excess of £200 and that money will have to come out of the school's budget. Our budget like that of many schools is very tight and we can ill afford to be spending out. It will mean there will be less money to spend on other things a school needs."

The specially-built tricyles cost more than £700 and are designed to take a weight of up to 15 stone. Mrs O'Meara said the tyres on the two tricycles that had been found abandoned could be replaced, but she feared that the loss of the other two tricycles would mean that the school would have to buy two replacements.

Thames Valley Police spokesman Toby Shergold said: "The school buildings were targeted with graffiti that was bigoted and insulting. It could easily have upset the pupils."

Vandals also got into the grounds of Thomas Reade Primary School, a short distance from Kingfisher School. They set off a fire extinguisher, broke off the door handle to the boiler room and broke a window. The intruders also damaged the doors of a storage shed. Two houses in Radley Road were daubed with graffiti.

Anyone with any information about the incident which happened overnight last Wednesday should call the police on 08458 505505.