TWO teenage arsonists who set fire to their former village school sobbed yesterday as they were locked up for two years.

The 14-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, destroyed most of Middleton St George Primary School, near Darlington, after setting fire to waste paper on the roof.

The blaze, on February 26, caused £356,000 worth of damage and forced teachers and pupils to transfer to an empty school building in Firthmoor for two months.

The Grade II-listed school, built at the start of last century, is still boarded up, with only two classrooms in use and the rest of the school in temporary buildings.

At Teesside Crown Court, the youths pleaded guilty to arson and were sentenced to two years' detention in a secure unit.

Judge Guy Whitburn, who told them he saw television footage of the blaze, described their behaviour as disgraceful.

"The trauma and distress that was occasioned to teachers and pupils was immeasurable," he said.

"It was so serious a crime that nothing other than a custodial sentence is suitable."

The pair burst into tears and clung to their weeping mothers before they were led away by security guards.

Geoffrey Taylor, prosecuting, said several people saw a group of youths setting fire to paper with a cigarette lighter on the school field at about 7pm.

The two boys climbed on to the roof, taking paper which had been stored in the school for a recycling scheme. They stuffed it in a gully on top of roofing felt and set fire to it.

They were arrested on March 7 after one boy was identified by his trainers. One boy denied the offence, but later admitted he told lies because he thought he would go into a home.

The other said that when they left the flames were 2ft high - but he thought "it would go out by itself".

Dan Cordey, defending, said what happened to the school went far beyond what the boys had expected.

Pre-sentence reports said they were never likely to offend again and were unlikely to benefit from custody, although it would serve as a deterrent.

Middleton St George ward councillor Doris Jones said she had expected the sentence to be longer.

"I honestly expected it to be rather more, purely because of the seriousness of the crime and the sheer cost to the village," she said.

"We are getting over it now but it's still sad to see that burnt-out building.

"I would hope this sentence is a sharp lesson for those boys."

Parents picking up their children from the school, which was being visited by Ofsted inspectors yesterday, said they felt justice had been done.

Karen Stewart said: "I'm quite well pleased that they've got two years.

"It's a village school that four generations of my family have been to and they did a hell of a lot of damage. They probably thought it was hilarious at the time."

Deborah Brown said: "I'm happy with the sentence. I think that goes for most people."

Christine Wilson said villagers felt sad that former pupils could have destroyed the building.

"It was done deliberately and I think the sentence reflects that," she said.

Mark Beasley said: "Two years sounds about right. I was expecting them to get off, so I'm pleased. At the end of the day, they knew what they were doing."

One mother, who asked not to be named, said she would rather the boys had had to face the community and do repair work at the school.