CALLOUS and heartless was how a head described the thieves who forced her school to close by leaving classrooms without heating.

Ann Smyth, head of Lockerley Primary, said she had no option but to shut the school for three days after its heating oil was stolen for the third time in 18 months. Half a tank of fuel was removed over the Christmas holiday period and the oil thieves struck a second time shortly after the new term began.

Mrs Smyth said: “Before Christmas, the 2,500 litre tank was half-full and when we came back into school a good 1,200 litres had gone and the fuel indicator was flashing on zero.

“We were in school on January 4 and January 5 with no oil supplies. We decided to close for three days, January 6, 7 and 8, because we couldn’t get an emergency supply of oil as the tanker couldn’t get here through the snow.”

Eventually, a delivery of 1,000 litres of oil was received late on Thursday, January 7.

The following Monday, the tank indicator was again showing zero.

However, there was enough to keep the school going last week.

Security in and around the school is being stepped up in a bid to prevent further thefts.

Mrs Smyth pointed out that measures had been taken after the first theft, but, in the latest incidents, the intruders had cut through a lock on the top of the oil tank to remove the fuel . “This is causing as lot of inconvenience to us,” said Mrs Smith.

“When we came back after Christmas, we thought the fuel gauge was faulty.

“It wasn’t until I climbed up and checked the oil level that we found it had been stolen. I found that the lid on top of the tank had been cut.”

She said police had agreed to step up patrols in the area. The school is considering putting caging around the tank to keep thieves out.

The tank is located on the edge of the school grounds, close to the boundary with the village hall car park.

“It’s very callous and heartless to steal the oil from a school. It’s young children and their education that suffers when there’s no heating to keep the school warm,” said Mrs Smith.

“If the school is forced to close because of no heating, working parents have to take time off to look after their children.”

Police have confirmed that they are investigating the thefts.

In July, 2008, oil thieves were disturbed at the school by a villager and they fled before they had emptied the tank.