A NURSERY has been left devastated after arsonists torched thousands of pounds worth of children's toys.

Staff from Jack and Jill Pre-school in Briercliffe were desperately trying to salvage what they could yesterday after up to £10,000 worth of toys went up in smoke on Saturday.

Firefighters were called to the community centre in Jubilee Street at 9.30pm.

Burnley crew manager Roy Edwards said: "Somebody had set fire to something next to the wooden shed in front of the centre, which then spread quickly to the shed.

"It was well alight when we arrived. Most of toys were completely melted and written off, and the ones that were not were badly damaged by heat and smoke."

Pre-school deputy manager Mandy Etherington was called to the scene on Saturday evening after being alerted at her nearby Burnley Road home by a neighbour and community centre committee member.

Mandy said: "It was a complete mess when I arrived. The fire was mostly out, but there was black smoke everywhere from the plastic toys, which had all melted together. It was awful."

Yesterday, Mandy and manager Kathleen Leeming were at the centre with a few other committee members, trying to sort through the wreckage.

Mandy said: "We've basically been left with nothing, all the toys the pre-school has were in the shed. We've rescued a few of them and will be cleaning them off to see if they can be saved, but the children will have almost no toys this week.

"Some of the parents are rallying round and looking through their own children's playrooms to bring some in.

"We don't know exactly how many toys were in there, but altogether they'll be worth thousands, possibly close to £10,000."

She added: "It's upsetting for us all, and we're nor sure yet how the children will react to what's happened, but we will be opening as normal on Tuesday and doing as best we can."

Jack and Jill is a private scheme which supports families in the local community five days a week, with 38 two to five-year-olds currently on roll.