AN attempted arson attack at Minety Primary School and a break-in at the tennis club have shocked people in the small village near Malmesbury.

The attack on the tennis club comes just a few weeks after an attempt was made to torch a primary school classroom.

Material was stuffed through the keyhole of one of the wooden portable classrooms and set alight.

The material dropped into the classroom but burnt itself out causing little damage.

Last week the tennis club members were disgusted when youths defecated behind the clubhouse.

They also broke into the clubroom, stole tennis balls and caused £100 worth of damage. Beer cans and cigarette butts littered the grounds.

Club secretary Judith Jackson said: "I couldn't believe what they did. We can cope with the cost of a few tennis balls being stolen but what was left outside was unbelievable."

The police said they had talked to three youths about the incident and action had been taken.

In addition to the problems at the tennis club there have been a number of complaints of damage and anti-social behaviour at the school in the evenings and at weekends.

Headteacher Bernard Crooks said it was unlikely there had been a deliberate attempt to burn down the school but he admitted it was a worrying trend.

"We have seen an increase of various levels of problems at the school over the last couple of months. Most of the problems are very minor," he said.

"What happened a few weeks ago is very concerning, not least because of the potential damage to school property but also the fact parents do not seem to know what their children are doing."

The police issued a warning in the parish magazine saying youths should keep away from the school.

PC Martin Alvis, of Malmesbury Police, said: "We are not talking about a deprived inner city estate here. This is yet another on-going complaint of trespass, damage and anti-social behaviour that occurs at the school out of hours.

"It is an offence under the Education Act to trespass on school grounds out of hours. It is everybody's responsibility to ensure that it is looked after."

The school has also issued a plea to children not to get involved.

Ms Jackson and Mr Crooks agreed the club and school were being used as meeting points by youths because both provided seclusion away from parents.

Parish clerk Janet Lenton said the council was trying to address some of the problems youth have growing up in a rural location, mainly the lack of activities.

She said the council was trying to involve youths more to get to grips with the problem.

She said: "We are extremely upset by what has happened. We are trying actively get children involved by getting them to decide for themselves what they want and then involving them in the process to get it, so they feel part of it."

Mrs Lenton said the indications were that the children wanted a meeting place.

PC Martin Alvis said it was up to parents to keep an eye on their children.

"Parents of young children have a responsibility to make sure they are not up to no good," he said.

"Some can't resist temptation to get into mischief when they are in groups and it costs the village money.

"Children have got to realise this sort of behaviour cannot be accepted."