REBUILDING work at an arson-hit primary school in Sedgefield should be completed this week.

But a development to enlarge the nursery is expected to take a little longer.

Pupils are hoping to be able to return to Hardwick Primary School at the end of this month.

The school was wrecked by fire in January last year, which left children having to attend lessons in other village schools and the parish hall.

A temporary school, next to the building, was erected last spring and an £832,000 scheme to redevelop the school was started. As part of the refurbishment, an extra £170,000 was set aside to enlarge the nursery to 52 places.

A spokesman for Durham County Council said: "The clean-up and reinstatement of the school is due to finish on Friday. The nursery link to the rest of the school should be finished in mid-April.

"It has been decided to leave the nursery school children in the demountable accommodation, but the junior and infant pupils will move back to the main school at Easter time. The nursery children will probably follow sometime in late April."