Pupils at a school on Oxford's Barton estate were forced to stay at home today following a blaze which severely damaged their classrooms.

Fire crews were called to Bayards Hill Primary School in Waynflete Road, at 10.30pm last night, after fire alarms were activated.

The blaze also damaged instruments for the county council's music service, which is based at the school.

Firefighters have alerted police and officers are now investigating the cause of the blaze.