ARSONISTS are thought to have started a fire that caused £250,000 damage to classrooms at Abbey International College in Malvern Wells.

The blaze was spotted shortly after a car was discovered on fire outside Great Malvern railway station. It is not known if the two incidents are connected.

Firefighters and police were called to the railway station at about 3.45am last Friday, May 30, where they found a Vauxhall Astra well alight.

At about 4.30pm, police spotted plumes of smoke rising from Malvern Wells, about two miles away, and officers who investigated found the blaze at the school.

Two fire engines from Malvern and two from Ledbury tackled the blaze and soon had it under control.

Philip Moere, head of Abbey International College, said four portable classrooms were destroyed and two more severely damaged.

It appears that separate fires were started in several classrooms, which were about 100 metres from the main school building.

"It's going to cause us problems, said Mr Moere.

"The classrooms are not used during the term, when we have about 120 pupils in residence. However, they are used during the summer, when we have 300 to 350 pupils here for the summer schools which are due to begin in just a few weeks' time. I don't know what we'll do."

Police and fire investigators are looking into the incident. Anyone with information should contact police on 08457 444888, quoting 32C/300503.