VANDALS have been criticised for putting lives at risk after they set fire to disused school buildings.

About 30 firefighters were called to the blaze at the Billingham Campus School on Monday night, and were at the scene for three hours.

Billingham watch manager Dave Kelly said: "It was deliberate, unnecessary ignition and tied down resources which could have been needed elsewhere if there had been persons trapped, resulting in a fire death."

"It was deliberate ignition - youths were seen running away."

Fire crews arrived at the campus to find flames had taken hold of an old classroom block in the process of being demolished.

Mr Kelly said the fact the building was being demolished put firefighters' lives at risk.

He said: "Flames were coming out through the roof and the windows.

"It had taken hold of a half-demolished building, so you can imagine the condition the building was in."

Police said officers were investigating the incident.

The fire damaged two classrooms already under demolition, and no other part of the school was affected.