Vandals broke into a Congresbury school and attacked two chickens which the students are trying to breed.

They climbed onto the roof of St Andrew's Junior School and got into a courtyard area where the Bantam chickens live in a special egloo.

The vandals threw spears made out of 6ft canes at the rooster and hen and smashed a number of the eggs over the building.

The damage was discovered by staff who returned to school after the Easter holidays on Monday morning.

Students at the school were planning to hatch the eggs in incubators in the classroom as part of a project.

The chickens, which were unharmed in the incident, had only been at the school for two weeks before the vandals' attack.

St Andrew's headteacher Neil Tuttiett said: "We had got the chickens before the Easter holidays and, during the break, people were coming in to feed them.

"The plan is to hatch the eggs and breed the chickens and the children have been really excited about the project.

"They were very disappointed to see what had happened and to see the spears which had been thrown into and were sticking out of the caged end of the egloo.

"The children have worked really hard on the courtyard area and had even barrowed in the soil and helped make the beds.

"The culprits climbed on top of the school and then jumped down into the courtyard.

"Whoever did it must have been quite tall to be able to clamber out again."

The chickens are the latest green project for the 139 student school, which was awarded eco school status last year.

The school also has a garden area in the courtyard and students have grown garlic and beans to use in the school kitchen.

The courtyard has a number of raised wooden beds, made out of recycled wood, and a greenhouse made out of old lemonade bottles.

Local police are appealing for anyone with information to contact them at Clevedon Police Station.

A police spokesman said: "This was a particularly heartless vandal attack as it affected a project which is enjoyed by lots of young people. We would like to hear from anyone with information about this incident."

Call Clevedon Police Station on 0845 4567000.